Liberia expands women’s economic pathway

Liberia’s push to link women’s livelihoods with protection from violence has moved into a new phase after UN Women Liberia and its partners convened an inception meeting in Monrovia for the Spotlight Initiative 2.0 Women’s Economic Empowerment component.

The meeting, held at the One UN House, brought together government representatives, civil society organisations, private sector actors and development partners to align implementation plans for a programme designed to support vulnerable women and girls, including survivors of sexual and gender-based violence, former female genital mutilation practitioners and women with disabilities.

UN Women Liberia is working with HOPE Liberia and Youth Crime Watch Liberia on the component, which places economic opportunity at the centre of efforts to reduce exposure to abuse, harmful practices and exploitative livelihoods. The European Union-backed Spotlight Initiative 2.0 builds on the first phase of the programme, which ran from 2019 to 2023 and focused on reducing sexual and gender-based violence and harmful practices while strengthening women’s access to support services.

The new phase reflects a growing recognition among development agencies and Liberian stakeholders that prevention cannot rely only on awareness campaigns or legal reform. For women living in fragile economic conditions, limited income, low literacy, poor access to finance and weak market connections can increase vulnerability to abuse and restrict their ability to leave violent settings.

Yemi Falayajo, UN Women Liberia Deputy Country Representative, said the meeting was intended to build shared ownership, agree transparent and inclusive beneficiary selection processes, strengthen coordination and ensure that implementation reflects the “Leave No One Behind” principle guiding Spotlight Initiative 2.0.

The programme will target women and girls across Liberia’s eight Spotlight counties through market-driven training in agriculture, crafts, digital entrepreneurship, cross-border trade, financial literacy, entrepreneurship development and Village Savings and Loan Associations. Second-chance education, cooperative development, market linkages and literacy support are also part of the package.

Liberia continues to face deeply rooted gender inequality shaped by patriarchal norms, weak livelihood options and the persistence of harmful practices, including female genital mutilation. Women’s participation in the economy remains high in many communities, particularly in informal trade and agriculture, but much of that work is low-paid, insecure and outside formal protection systems. Vulnerable employment among women remains markedly higher than among men, underscoring the need for programmes that move beyond basic training towards sustainable income generation.

The focus on former FGM practitioners is especially significant. Earlier interventions showed that women who depend economically on initiation-related practices require viable alternatives if abandonment efforts are to hold at community level. Without income replacement, social pressure and financial incentives can weaken commitments to end harmful practices.

The inception meeting also drew attention to the role of private companies, including telecommunications operators, in widening access to digital tools, mobile money, market information and entrepreneurship channels. Digital literacy is expected to be a key element as women-led microenterprises seek safer payments, broader customer reach and more transparent savings mechanisms.

Government ministries and civil society groups are expected to play a central role in beneficiary identification, community mobilisation and monitoring. Transparent selection is likely to be closely watched, as programmes targeting survivors and marginalised groups can face local political pressure, stigma and uneven access in remote communities.

Spotlight Initiative 2.0 is structured around a broader framework that combines legal and policy reform, social norms change, survivor-centred services and support for women’s rights organisations. Its Liberia programme runs through 2029 and is aligned with national development priorities as well as global commitments on gender equality and the elimination of violence against women and girls.

The programme’s wider approach reflects lessons from global gender-based violence prevention work, where stand-alone projects have often struggled to produce lasting gains. Integrated models that combine community mobilisation, survivor services, legal accountability and economic empowerment are increasingly seen as more effective than isolated interventions.

Liberia’s challenge is not only programme delivery but durability. Skills training often produces limited results unless beneficiaries gain access to working capital, buyers, transport, safe workplaces and continuing mentoring. Women in rural counties may also face barriers linked to land access, unpaid care work and resistance from male relatives or community leaders.