Buchanan, Grand Bassa County, October 6, 2026 — With Liberia’s next General Elections three years away, the National Elections Commission of Liberia (NEC-Liberia) has intensified early preparations, including efforts to strengthen Civic and Voter Education (CVE) across the country.
A critical component of every electoral process, CVE seeks to inform, motivate, and educate eligible voters about their rights, responsibilities, and meaningful participation in electoral processes.
On Monday, October 5, 2026, the NEC, through its Civic and Voter Education Section, launched a regional consultation in Buchanan on developing a new CVE Strategic Plan 2026–2030, ahead of the 2029 General Elections.
In her opening remarks, NEC Oversight Commissioner for Civic and Voter Education, Cllr. Ernestine Morgan Awar, emphasized that civic and voter education must go beyond election-period activities and become a continuous national process.
The proposed strategy, titled ‘Building an Informed, Participatory, Inclusive and Engaged Citizenry for Sustainable Democracy,’ is aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Agenda, particularly Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4.7, which calls for ensuring that learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, human rights, gender equality, peace, and global citizenship.
According to Commissioner Awar, the strategy seeks to ensure that citizens are adequately informed about their rights and responsibilities, understand electoral processes, have access to accurate and timely information, and are encouraged to participate meaningfully and peacefully in elections.
She noted that particular attention will be given to groups that face barriers to accessing electoral information and participating in democratic processes, including women, youth, first-time voters, persons with disabilities, and rural communities.
The UNDP Liberia Electoral Support Project (LESP), a key partner to the NEC, is represented by Mr. Robert Irish, Inclusive Electoral Process and Reform Specialist.
Mr. Irish described CVE as critical to credible elections and urged the NEC and stakeholders to address concerns surrounding the reported incidence of invalid votes, trucking, and the apportionment of seats.
Meanwhile, NEC Deputy Executive Director for External Relations, Mr. Samuel B Cole, delivered a presentation on ‘Understanding Democracy, Liberia’s Electoral Landscape and CVE Concepts,’ providing participants with an overview of Liberia’s democratic and electoral environment and the role of civic and voter education.
The proposed CVE Strategy, among other measures, calls for using multiple platforms to reach citizens, including mass media, digital platforms, community outreach, educational institutions, town-hall meetings, and other community-based approaches.
The regional consultation brings together local authorities, civil society organizations, women and youth representatives, community leaders, persons with disabilities, educational and professional institutions, faith-based organizations, development partners, and media members, among other stakeholders.
The NEC says stakeholders’ views, experiences, concerns, and recommendations will help strengthen the draft strategy and ensure that it is practical, inclusive, and responsive to the realities of communities across Liberia.
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