MONROVIA, LIBERIA- October 26, 2026—The Executive Director of the Women NGOs Secretariat of Liberia (WONGOSOL), Esther Yango, is participating in a three-day regional dialogue in Dakar, Senegal, aimed at strengthening security sector reform, democratic governance, institutional stability, and human security across West Africa.

The dialogue, running from October 26 to 28, brings together approximately 80 participants from 12 member states of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to discuss regional security challenges and promote accountable, inclusive, and effective security institutions.

The meeting is organized by the ECOWAS Commission and the German development agency GIZ through the European Union Support to ECOWAS for Peace, Security and Governance project.

The Gorée Institute is facilitating the engagement. Madam Yango is among four representatives from Liberia attending the dialogue, where participants are expected to exchange experiences and develop practical recommendations for addressing emerging security threats, strengthening institutional accountability, and promoting inclusive peacebuilding.

Speaking ahead of the discussions, the WONGOSOL Executive Director emphasized that security sector reform must prioritize the safety, dignity, and rights of citizens, particularly women, girls, young people, and vulnerable communities.

“Security sector reform must go beyond strengthening institutions and providing security services. It must also address whether women, girls, young people, and communities feel safe, whether their rights are protected, and whether they have a meaningful voice in decisions affecting their lives,” Yango said.

She noted that Liberia’s experience of conflict and post-war recovery demonstrates the importance of community participation, women’s leadership, and accountability in building sustainable peace.

Yango is expected to share Liberia’s experiences in women-led peacebuilding, drawing attention to the role of Women Peace Huts, community-based early warning systems, and grassroots women’s networks in identifying tensions, preventing violence, and promoting peaceful conflict resolution.

According to WONGOSOL, these community-based mechanisms have the potential to complement formal security institutions by ensuring that early signs of conflict are identified and addressed before they escalate into violence.

“I look forward to contributing the experiences of Liberian women peacebuilders, particularly the role of Women Peace Huts and grassroots women’s networks in preventing conflict and strengthening community resilience,” she added.

The WONGOSOL chief is also expected to advocate for the meaningful participation of women in security sector reform, civilian oversight, institutional decision-making, and the development of national and regional security policies.

Her participation comes as countries across West Africa continue to confront democratic governance challenges, institutional instability, persistent insecurity, and emerging digital threats that affect citizens’ safety and fundamental rights.

The dialogue is also expected to address the growing impact of digital threats, including disinformation, online harassment, and digital surveillance, particularly their implications for women’s participation in public life and the work of human rights defenders.

Yango is expected to stress the need for security-related technologies to operate within appropriate legal safeguards and democratic oversight mechanisms to protect citizens’ privacy, rights, and freedoms.

Beyond security governance, the WONGOSOL Executive Director will highlight the importance of connecting security sector reform with Liberia’s transitional justice process, particularly efforts to address accountability, reparations, institutional reform, reconciliation, and guarantees against the recurrence of violence.

She said victims, survivors, and affected communities must have meaningful opportunities to contribute to decisions that shape national accountability and peacebuilding efforts.

“I will also emphasize the importance of linking security sector reform with transitional justice, so that the concerns of victims and survivors are reflected in institutional reform and national peacebuilding efforts,” Yango stated.

WONGOSOL says the engagement is expected to strengthen its contribution to regional policy discussions while creating opportunities to translate lessons from the dialogue into national advocacy, community-based programming, and policy engagement in Liberia.

Following the meeting, Yango intends to share relevant recommendations with WONGOSOL’s member organizations and national stakeholders to strengthen women’s participation in peace and security initiatives, improve community-based conflict prevention, and promote greater accountability among security institutions.

The organization also plans to use the engagement to advance Liberia’s Women, Peace and Security agenda by connecting regional commitments with national priorities on women’s participation, protection from violence, and involvement in peace and security decision-making.

The dialogue is expected to produce practical recommendations on democratic governance of the security sector, identify emerging security risks, and launch a regional knowledge platform to support continued learning and cooperation among ECOWAS member states.

WONGOSOL maintains that women must not be treated merely as beneficiaries of peace and security initiatives but as active participants in shaping the policies and institutions that determine their safety, rights, and future.

The Women NGOs Secretariat of Liberia is a national network of more than 250 women-led and women-focused organizations operating across Liberia’s 15 counties.

The organization works to advance gender equality, promote women’s leadership and participation in governance, prevent and respond to violence against women and girls, and strengthen women’s contributions to peacebuilding, human rights, and sustainable development.