Empowering women’s civic and political participation: the role of women’s organizations in post-conflict Liberia

Abstract

Women’s active participation in political and civic life has gained recognition of being an inherent part of an effective peacebuilding strategy. The context of Liberia, as a post-conflict society, presents unique challenges that require tailored solutions to address gender disparities and promote inclusive governance. This research tries to answer the question on how women’s organizations have contributed to sustainable peace through empowering women in civic and political spaces. In particular it investigates the surge of women’s organizations and the space they operate in. The findings presented are based on a document analysis of relevant project reports, as well as an extensive literature review on the underdeveloped topic of women as peacebuilders in post-conflict situations. It presents two mechanisms that includes women in the peacebuilding process (1) Appreciative Inquiry (AI), and (2) the Women’s Situation Room (WSR). Lastly, it concludes with the role that women’s organizations have taken in post-conflict Liberia, being a transformative one, but not one of radical change. Importantly, in the transformative change observation, remains the push for women’s political and civic participation.