Liberia: ForumCiv Demands Economic Empowerment for Rural Women as National Land Rights Conference Opens in Buchanan

The gathering brings together grassroots women and civil society representatives from eight counties, including Rivercess, Nimba, Grand Cape Mount and Gbarpolu, providing participants an opportunity to share their experiences with land disputes, agricultural production, limited economic opportunities and traditional practices that continue to undermine women’s rights

BUCHANAN, Grand Bassa County – ForumCiv Liberia Country Manager Asa David Chon has challenged the Liberian government, financial institutions, agricultural investors and development partners to move beyond repeated commitments to women’s empowerment and begin implementing practical measures that will guarantee rural women greater control over land, access to affordable financing and meaningful participation in the country’s agricultural economy.

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***By Selma Lomax, [email protected] ***

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Chon’s call comes as more than 130 participants, including rural women leaders, government representatives, civil society organizations and development partners, gather in Buchanan, Grand Bassa County, for the 2026 National Celebration and Action Forum for Rural Women, a three-day gathering intended to examine persistent inequalities in land ownership and identify practical solutions to challenges confronting women in rural communities.

The conference, organized by ForumCiv Liberia in collaboration with partner organizations, is being held under the theme, “Celebrating Rural Women: Securing Land Rights and Advancing Resilient Livelihoods.”

The gathering brings together grassroots women and civil society representatives from eight counties, including Rivercess, Nimba, Grand Cape Mount and Gbarpolu, providing participants an opportunity to share their experiences with land disputes, agricultural production, limited economic opportunities and traditional practices that continue to undermine women’s rights.

The event also forms part of activities commemorating the International Day of Rural Women, observed annually on October 15, with organizers hoping the discussions will produce commitments capable of improving the economic circumstances of women whose contributions remain central to Liberia’s agricultural development.

Speaking during the opening activities, Chon emphasized that although Liberia has made progress in establishing legal frameworks intended to protect customary land rights, the existence of legislation alone cannot transform the economic conditions of rural women unless those protections are translated into opportunities that directly improve their livelihoods.

He maintained that the conversation surrounding women’s land ownership must now extend beyond recognition of legal rights to include access to financial services, agricultural equipment, improved farming techniques and markets where women can sell their produce at competitive prices.

According to the ForumCiv Liberia country manager, many rural women remain trapped in difficult economic circumstances despite their enormous contributions to food production and household survival, largely because they lack the financial and institutional support necessary to expand their agricultural activities.

Chon stressed that empowering rural women should not be treated merely as a social obligation but as an important national development priority capable of strengthening food security, reducing poverty and improving economic stability across Liberia’s 15 counties.

“We cannot continue celebrating the contributions of rural women while the conditions under which they work remain largely unchanged. These women are producing food, sustaining households and contributing to the survival of communities, yet many of them cannot access the financial resources and agricultural equipment needed to expand their activities. If we are serious about empowering rural women, then the laws protecting their land rights must be accompanied by practical economic opportunities that allow them to benefit from the land they cultivate.”

The ForumCiv Liberia official also raised concerns about the difficulties rural women encounter when attempting to secure loans from commercial banks and other financial institutions.

He pointed to high interest rates and restrictive lending requirements as significant obstacles preventing women, particularly those operating small agricultural enterprises, from accessing the capital necessary to purchase farming equipment, improve production and establish sustainable businesses.

Chon urged financial institutions to develop lending arrangements that recognize the economic realities of rural communities, arguing that conventional financing systems frequently exclude women who lack substantial collateral despite possessing the capacity to engage in productive agricultural activities.

He said meaningful financial inclusion would require stronger cooperation among the government, banking institutions, development organizations and agricultural stakeholders to create financing opportunities tailored to rural women’s needs.

“When a rural woman has access to land but cannot obtain a loan to purchase seeds, equipment or other agricultural materials, her economic potential remains restricted. Financial institutions must begin looking at rural women as important contributors to national economic growth rather than treating them as borrowers who cannot qualify for support. We need financial arrangements that encourage women to invest in agriculture instead of discouraging them through interest rates and requirements they cannot meet.”

Beyond access to financing, Chon drew attention to the growing concerns surrounding agricultural concessions and the potential displacement of communities whose livelihoods depend heavily on customary land.

He called on companies investing in Liberia’s agricultural sector to respect community land rights and ensure that investments generate tangible benefits for residents, particularly women who depend on farming for their survival.

The ForumCiv Liberia country manager maintained that agricultural investments should contribute to community development, create employment opportunities and strengthen local economies rather than leave vulnerable populations struggling to retain access to their traditional farming areas.

He emphasized the importance of ensuring that women participate meaningfully in decisions concerning land use, concession arrangements and agricultural development projects affecting their communities.

“Development should never come at the expense of the people whose land makes that development possible. When investors enter rural communities, women must not become victims of displacement or lose access to the land that supports their families. We want investments that create opportunities, respect community ownership and ensure that rural women are included in the benefits. Any investment that leaves communities poorer and women without access to their farms cannot be considered meaningful development.”

Chon further underscored the importance of accountability in implementing commitments made during national conferences and policy discussions concerning women’s rights.

He noted that the National Alliance on Women’s Land Rights, commonly known as NAWOLA, has an important responsibility to monitor commitments made by government institutions, private-sector representatives and development partners.

According to him, the alliance’s involvement will help ensure that recommendations emerging from the Buchanan gathering are not simply documented and forgotten but are subjected to sustained follow-up and engagement with responsible institutions.

The gathering brings together grassroots women and civil society representatives from eight counties, including Rivercess, Nimba, Grand Cape Mount and Gbarpolu, providing participants an opportunity to share their experiences with land disputes, agricultural production, limited economic opportunities and traditional practices that continue to undermine women’s rights

The ForumCiv Liberia official expressed the need for measurable progress in addressing challenges confronting rural women, particularly those associated with land registration, inheritance, representation in community decision-making and access to agricultural resources.

“One of the greatest challenges we face is that commitments are often made during conferences, but the women who travel from their communities to participate return home without seeing meaningful changes. This forum must be different. Through NAWOLA and our partners, we want to follow the commitments, engage the institutions responsible and ensure that the concerns raised by rural women lead to concrete interventions. Accountability must become an essential part of our work.”

He also encouraged rural women to remain actively involved in discussions and decisions affecting their land and economic opportunities, stressing that lasting reforms cannot succeed without the participation of those directly experiencing the challenges.

Chon maintained that the experiences shared by women from different counties should help shape future interventions and guide the priorities of institutions working to strengthen women’s economic security.

“The women gathered here are not simply beneficiaries of development programs; they are leaders, farmers, entrepreneurs and advocates who understand the realities of their communities. Their voices must influence the policies we develop and the decisions we make. Our responsibility as institutions is to listen, provide the necessary support and create an environment where rural women can exercise their rights without fear, discrimination or unnecessary obstacles.”

Meanwhile, Deputy Minister for Gender Atty. Laura Golakeh, delivering the keynote address, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to strengthening women’s participation in national development through reforms intended to improve land access and economic opportunities.

Golakeh disclosed that the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection is working toward establishing a unified National Rural Women’s Structure to replace fragmented initiatives and improve coordination of resources and programs targeting rural women.

The proposed structure, according to the deputy minister, is intended to strengthen institutional coordination and create a more organized approach to addressing the challenges confronting women across Liberia’s rural communities.

She emphasized that rural women must have productive access to land if the country is to achieve meaningful progress in agricultural development, food security and poverty reduction. Golakeh also highlighted the contributions of rural women to peacebuilding and community stability, noting that their participation remains important in addressing gender-based violence and advancing Liberia’s National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security.

Representing the Liberia Land Authority, Julius B. Kawa, Director of Land Policy and Planning, reaffirmed the institution’s commitment to protecting women’s land ownership and inheritance rights.

Kawa emphasized that access to land remains closely connected to women’s dignity, economic independence and ability to participate meaningfully in community development.

He acknowledged the importance of addressing discriminatory practices, including forced disinheritance and displacement, which continue to threaten women’s access to land in some communities.

The Liberia Land Authority representative pledged continued collaboration with civil society organizations to strengthen implementation of land rights protections and encourage greater participation of women in local land governance structures.

Particular attention, he indicated, would be directed toward ensuring that women occupy meaningful leadership positions within Community Land

Development and Management Committees, which play important roles in managing customary land and representing community interests.

The authority’s position reflects growing recognition that women’s representation in land governance institutions is essential to ensuring that their interests are considered when decisions are made concerning ownership, inheritance and community land management.

Also addressing participants, Akiror Hope Opio, Communications Officer of The Hunger Project-Uganda, challenged traditional and religious leaders to confront cultural practices that continue to deny women equal opportunities to own, inherit and control land.

Opio observed that women across Africa experience similar barriers rooted in longstanding patriarchal systems and discriminatory social norms.

She maintained that achieving meaningful equality would require deliberate efforts to challenge those practices while strengthening community institutions capable of resolving land disputes and protecting vulnerable populations.

Drawing attention to experiences in Uganda, Opio highlighted the importance of utilizing existing local structures, including land committees and alternative dispute resolution mechanisms, to address conflicts and promote women’s rights.

She encouraged Liberian women to recognize their collective strength and continue advocating for reforms that address the underlying causes of inequality.

Opio also stressed that African women possess valuable knowledge and practical solutions to the problems affecting their communities, making their direct involvement indispensable to successful reform initiatives.

Since its establishment by ForumCiv Liberia in 2020, the national rural women’s land rights platform has served as a forum for assessing progress, identifying implementation gaps and bringing together stakeholders whose decisions influence land ownership and economic opportunities.

Through engagements involving government institutions, donors, private-sector representatives, civil society organizations, academic institutions and grassroots women leaders, the initiative seeks to strengthen cooperation around policies affecting rural women’s livelihoods.