Published: August 10, 2026
GBARNGA, Bong County — Bong County Attorney Cllr. Jonathan N. Flomo has described the Ministry of Justice’s Workplace Safeguard Policy and Gender-Sensitive Communication Strategy as critical instruments for strengthening justice, fairness, equality and professionalism within the institution.
Flomo said the two frameworks are intended to ensure that the ministry’s internal working environment reflects the same principles of justice and equality its officials are constitutionally mandated to uphold.
He made the remarks at the close of a six-day technical review and validation exercise held July 20-25 at the Regional Hub in Gbarnga, Bong County. The session brought together county authorities, justice officials, civil society representatives, Ministry of Justice directors and other stakeholders.
“The Workplace Safeguard Policy represents the Ministry’s collective commitment to ensuring that every employee works in an environment characterized by dignity, mutual respect, fairness, accountability, and zero tolerance for harassment, discrimination, intimidation, retaliation, abuse of authority, and every other form of workplace misconduct,” Flomo said.
He said the Gender-Sensitive Communication Strategy provides a practical roadmap for promoting equality, inclusion, respect and professionalism in communication within the ministry and in its interactions with the public.
According to Flomo, effective implementation of the two instruments will help create a safer and more inclusive workplace while strengthening public confidence in the Ministry of Justice as an institution that practices the values it is responsible for enforcing.
He commended participants for their commitment and active engagement throughout the six-day deliberations and urged ministry officials and other stakeholders to champion implementation once the documents are formally approved.
Flomo stressed that the success of the policies will depend on the collective responsibility of ministry employees to uphold integrity, accountability, respect and inclusion in the workplace.
He also praised Justice Minister and Attorney General Cllr. N. Oswald Tweh and development partners, including UN Women-Liberia and its country representative, Abul Hasnat Monjurul Kabir, for supporting the ministry’s Gender and Social Inclusion Unit in developing the instruments.
The six-day exercise was divided into two three-day sessions, during which participants worked in groups to review the documents and provide recommendations for consideration by the final approving body.
Assistant Director of the Ministry of Justice’s Gender and Social Inclusion Unit, Laward, also thanked county authorities and participants for helping technically review and validate the Workplace Safeguard Policy and Gender-Sensitive Communication Strategy.
He said the documents are designed to strengthen gender equality, promote sensitive and inclusive language and improve workplace conduct across the ministry.
Laward also commended Tweh for his leadership and commitment to advancing gender equality and social inclusion and acknowledged UN Women-Liberia and other development partners for providing technical and financial support.
According to Laward, the two documents, which have now been reviewed and validated and are awaiting approval, will promote professional work ethics, protect employees against workplace misconduct and strengthen accountability.
He said the Gender-Sensitive Communication Strategy will also help establish a unified approach to gender-related communication throughout the Ministry of Justice by promoting inclusive representation, gender-inclusive language, visibility, empowerment, awareness and social change.
Laward said the instruments were developed with consideration of national and international protocols to ensure they align with recognized standards.
The initiative forms part of the Justice Ministry’s broader effort to strengthen institutional governance, promote gender-responsive practices and establish a workplace culture grounded in justice, equality and human dignity.
Meanwhile, the Gender and Social Inclusion Unit, in partnership with UN Women-Liberia, is conducting a Gender-Responsive Prison Assessment in Bong, Lofa and Nimba counties.
The assessment seeks to identify gaps in how correctional facilities respond to the needs of women, including pregnant detainees and mothers with infants, as well as persons with disabilities and vulnerable male detainees.
It will examine prison infrastructure, health services, rehabilitation programs and protection mechanisms through a gender lens while identifying policy and operational gaps affecting different groups of detainees.
The initiative is also intended to strengthen institutional accountability through evidence-based findings and support inclusive justice reforms consistent with Liberia’s commitments under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), U.N. Security Council Resolution 1325 and the National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security.
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