MONROVIA, LIBERIA-Sister-Aid Liberia, in partnership with key development organizations, has commenced a three-day political leadership and capacity-building training aimed at preparing women to compete more effectively in Liberia’s 2029 national elections.

The training, which runs from August 19-21, 2026, in Monrovia, is under Sister-Aid Liberia’s flagship Political Leadership and Aspirant Readiness Training, through the Liberia Electoral Support Project, and brings together 42 women aspirants from Montserrado, Grand Bassa, Margibi and Bomi Counties.

The initiative seeks to equip prospective female candidates with practical knowledge, leadership skills and strategies for navigating Liberia’s political environment, while addressing some of the financial, structural and institutional barriers that continue to limit women’s participation in politics.

Speaking at the opening of the training, Sister-Aid Liberia Founder Miatta Darwolor said the Monrovia session represents the first phase of a nationwide program designed to prepare women for meaningful participation in the 2029 elections.

“We want the women to be prepared, not only to contest, but to understand the political environment and how they can effectively participate and lead,” Madam Darwolor said.

She pointed to the continued gender imbalance in Liberia’s legislature, noting that women currently occupy only 11 of the 103 seats, despite women constituting more than half of the country’s voting population.

Madam Darwolor clarified that Sister-Aid Liberia will not provide direct campaign financing to aspirants, but will instead provide technical support, training and mentorship in areas such as resource mobilization.

“We are not giving campaign money, but we are giving women the skills and mentorship they need to mobilize resources and overcome some of the barriers that affect their participation,” she explained.

Also speaking, UN Women Deputy Country Representative Dr. Oluwayemisi Falayajo stressed that Liberia’s democratic development cannot be fully realized without women having a meaningful role in political decision-making.

“Liberia’s democracy and national development cannot reach their full potential without women having a meaningful voice in decision-making,” Dr. Falayajo said.

She said the training responds directly to concerns raised by women aspirants about limited access to political networks, resources, information, mentorship and leadership opportunities.

According to Dr. Falayajo, increasing women’s political representation should not be treated solely as a gender-equality issue, but as an important requirement for stronger governance, democracy and inclusive national development.

She encouraged the participants to take the training seriously, build networks and remain committed to public service.

Meanwhile, UNDP Communications Specialist Mambu James Kpargoi urged the women to make the concerns of marginalized communities central to their political campaigns and leadership ambitions.

Kpargoi said women aspirants have an opportunity to challenge the lack of representation created by Liberia’s predominantly male political landscape.

“Women must focus on representing marginalized voices and addressing the gaps in representation that exist within our male-dominated political system,” Kpargoi said. Reflecting on the 2023 elections, he said successful candidates demonstrated the importance of building broad-based support by seeking endorsements from local leaders and engaging diverse groups, including young people and persons with disabilities.

He acknowledged that women face significant challenges in securing votes within their respective districts, but urged them to support one another throughout the electoral process.

Kpargoi further stressed that electoral success requires more than political ambition, urging the participants to develop clear plans, strategic messages and the resilience needed to convince voters of their leadership capacity.

For participants, the training is being viewed as an opportunity to gain practical knowledge beyond conventional political campaigning.

Some of the women aspirants attending the session said access to political networks, information, mentorship and financial resources remains a major challenge, particularly for women seeking to enter a highly competitive political environment.

They welcomed the training as an avenue to strengthen their leadership capacity, build relationships with other aspiring female leaders and develop strategies that could improve their chances of winning public support in 2029.

The three-day training is expected to provide the women aspirants with practical tools in political leadership, campaign preparedness, networking, resource mobilization and strategic communication as they begin positioning themselves for the 2029 elections.