Liberia will on tomorrow Monday, September 21, host a high-level side event at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, placing women’s leadership, peace-building and security at the center of its international agenda.
The event, titled “From Pioneers to Global Leaders: Liberia’s Journey in Women, Peace and Security,” will be held from 10:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at Conference Room 5 and is being championed by the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection.
President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr. is expected to deliver remarks, as Liberia uses the platform to reflect on the country’s experience with women’s participation in peacebuilding and public leadership, while advancing the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda as one of its priorities during its 2026–2027 tenure on the UN Security Council.
Liberia’s WPS story carries particular historical significance. Women played a prominent role in the country’s peace movement, including the activism associated with Leymah Gbowee and the Liberian women’s peace movement, which helped build pressure for an end to the civil war. Liberia subsequently elected Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, becoming the first country in Africa to democratically elect a woman as president.
Liberia has also continued to place women’s participation at the center of its peace and security diplomacy. In a June 2026 UN Security Council debate, Liberia highlighted the role women played in the country’s peace process, including their participation in disarmament, reintegration and transitional justice.
The upcoming New York event therefore provides an opportunity for Liberia to move the conversation beyond its historical achievements and focus on how women can increasingly participate in decision-making, peacebuilding, conflict prevention and security leadership.
The United Nations in Liberia recently highlighted similar efforts, noting that women have long helped mediate disputes, lead reconciliation efforts and sustain dialogue, while often remaining underrepresented in formal decision-making. A new US$3 million Gender Promotion Initiative 2.0, supported by the UN Peacebuilding Fund, is aimed at strengthening women’s leadership and participation in peacebuilding, justice and governance.
Monday’s event represents a crucial moment as Liberia seeks to translate its own peace-building experience into a broader contribution to international peace and security through its current seat on the UN Security Council..