Published: December 5, 2025
CARESYBURG, Montserrado County – Women from rural and urban communities are calling on national policymakers and international partners to ramp up education, outreach, and resources to help Liberian women understand and secure their land rights.
The call to action came Wednesday during the African Women’s Leadership Network (AWLN) Liberia Chapter Dialogue on Women’s Land Rights, held under the theme “From Policy to Practice” in Caresyburg. The event brought together representatives of the Liberian government, including the Ministries of Gender, Agriculture, Justice, the Liberia Land Authority, and scores of women leaders from across the country.
Women Demand Awareness, Accessible Information on Land Acquisition
Panelists Ma Kebeh Monger, Ma Mary, Aletha Koalarum and Ma Fatu led discussions centered on women’s access to land under customary and statutory law, youth generational issues, and the gaps in the Land Rights Act and inheritance laws. Lawyer Lucia S. Gbala delivered a presentation outlining legal frameworks and shortcomings.
Speaking passionately, Ma Kebeh said inconsistent local practices and a lack of clear information often leave rural women vulnerable.
She questioned what becomes of children when parents die while farming and stressed that women frequently make land-related decisions without proper guidance. She also called for modern farming equipment and better market access.
“If the people really want to help us, they should change the cutlasses and diggers and put them in the archive so people can look at them,” she said. “They should give us machines that will do the farming and even power saw instead of arc to make the work easier.”
She noted that many farmers are left with rotting produce due to the absence of buyers and limited visibility from national leaders.
“They need to build lots of awareness in the rural communities… helping them to know that they need to give land to their people and how to do it,” she added.
Former Paramount Chief Applauds Reforms, Urges Faster Land Dispute Resolution
Former Paramount Chief and traditional leader Ma Mary Larteh described the dialogue as timely.
“Women used to be deprived of their rights to owning land but we thank God for the reforms by our national government and the support from international partners, including UN Women,” she said. “As we speak, I am an administrator for my father’s properties among 38 children.”
She urged decentralization of land dispute mechanisms, saying the current system is slow, bureaucratic, and often requires third-party intervention. She recommended more town-hall meetings and direct engagement with women and farmers.
Women’s Leadership and Implementation Gaps Highlighted
Dr. Thelma A. Awori, Board Chair of the Institute for Social Transformation, said Liberia has strong policies but suffers from weak implementation.
She reflected on past struggles for women’s representation at the African Union and the symbolic importance of former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.
“If we have female presidents, we would run to them to push our agenda and that’s how we established this group of great African women leaders,” she said.
Awori emphasized that women farmers sustain the nation, declaring, “No farmers, no food, no nation.” She pledged continued support to help women expand agricultural production.
Madam Ellen O. Pratt, Executive Director of the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Presidential Center, encouraged women to voice their challenges and urged the Association of Female Lawyers of Liberia to decentralize their support services.
“Women, if you’re living with a man, always be smart and careful on the acquisition of your land,” she cautioned. “Let’s get our lands customized and have the relevant documents to our marriages.”
Gender Ministry Calls for Stronger Enforcement and Community Education
Deputy Gender Minister Atty. Laura Golokeh outlined key barriers—including customary norms, economic inequalities and limited legal literacy—that continue to sideline women.
“Their voices are the heartbeat of this dialogue,” she said. “The true measure of progress is not the number of laws we pass—but the number of women whose lives are transformed by those laws.”
She urged sustained community education and capacity-building so the Land Rights Act can be fully applied nationwide. She also called for more women to be placed in land governance bodies, noting that their presence leads to “more equitable and sustainable” outcomes.
AWLN Says Land Rights Key to Poverty Reduction, Food Security
In her welcome remarks, Josephine Francis, Chair of AWLN’s Agriculture, Natural Resources and Blue Economy Pillar, highlighted the significance of the 2018 Land Rights Act, which legally affirms women’s rights to access, own and register land.
She said persistent customary norms still disadvantage women but praised ongoing collaboration with civil society groups to translate the law into practical change for rural communities.
“When women—especially rural women—are actively included in land governance and management, the benefits in agriculture, land use and resource management are more broadly shared and more sustainable,” she said.
Francis stressed that women’s control over land improves livelihoods, strengthens community resilience, and directly impacts national food security.
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