MONROVIA – The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), with sponsorship from Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) through NovaSphere, a Canadian corporation, has launched a two-day validation forum under a transformative pilot project titled “Building a Regional Women’s Community of Practice for Effective Climate Action.” The initiative aims to establish a regional network of women leaders who can influence climate governance and policy beyond Liberia’s borders.
This pilot is part of the MRV for Climate Action Program, which supports partner countries’ national development priorities and strengthens their capacities to plan, finance, and achieve greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions, while implementing low-carbon solutions to local development challenges.
The two-day validation workshop, held at the Climate Change Lab in Monrovia, focuses on reviewing and finalizing Liberia’s Gender and Climate Change Baseline Assessment Report—a critical step toward shaping a more inclusive, gender-responsive climate governance framework. Key partners in the project include the EPA and the Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection.
Held under the theme “Inclusive Climate Action: Advancing Women’s Leadership and Governance,” the workshop convened policymakers, civil society organizations, development partners, academics, and climate actors to validate the findings of the report, which was led by Cllr. Yah Vallah Parwon.
The assessment reveals that although Liberia has made progress in integrating gender considerations into climate-related policies, implementation remains fragmented, underfunded, and lacking coordinated oversight. The report further finds that women continue to be largely excluded from decision-making processes and governance bodies central to environmental policy.
Speaking during the opening session, Ms. Gehnyea Yai Gbeanquoi, Coordinator of Liberia’s Community of Practice (CoP), emphasized the importance of building local ownership and leadership among women.
“This pilot project is not just another policy dialogue. It’s about reimagining how women participate in climate action—not on the sidelines, but at the center of governance, innovation, and change,” she said.
Dweh Boley Sr., Deputy Executive Director of the EPA, representing Executive Director Emmanuel K. Urey-Yarkpawolo, noted that the workshop represents a turning point for gender equality in Liberia’s environmental sector.
“We cannot talk about resilience if we are leaving women behind. Climate change is not gender-neutral. The EPA is fully committed to mainstreaming gender across all our programs and actions,” he stated.
Boley also highlighted the EPA’s intention to work closely with both the Ministry of Gender and international partners to align national strategies with global best practices.
Speaking on behalf of the Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection, Fairnoh Theo Gbilah, Director for International Engagements, commended the EPA’s leadership and reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to institutionalizing gender equality across climate institutions.
“Women bear the brunt of climate impacts, yet they remain underrepresented in climate governance. This partnership marks a critical opportunity to reverse that trend,” he remarked.
Findings from the baseline report show that only 21 percent of the members of Liberia’s National Climate Change Steering Committee (NCCSC) are women. Additionally, key instruments such as the 2012 Climate Change Gender Action Plan (ccGAP) are outdated and no longer reflect current challenges or opportunities.
Among the key recommendations are the revision and integration of the ccGAP into the upcoming Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) 3.0; the establishment of a centralized gender-climate data system; and the introduction of gender quotas for governance bodies. The report also calls for the creation of a Gender-Responsive Climate Investment Fund and the development of national training frameworks to support women’s leadership in climate science, policy, and action.
Participants are expected to finalize a roadmap for Liberia’s Community of Practice—one that will serve as a hub for advocacy, knowledge sharing, and transformative leadership on the frontlines of climate change.
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