Monrovia – InfoQuest Liberia has officially launched its First Quarter Report under its Gender-Sensitive Legislative Monitoring Project, detailing findings from legislative activities in the House of Representatives between January and March 2025.
By: Julius Konton, Contributing Writer
According to Matthias Yeanay, Executive Director of InfoQuest Liberia, the report marks a significant milestone in the organization’s ongoing efforts to promote inclusive governance and legislative accountability.
The report highlights that women remain significantly underrepresented in Liberia’s Legislature—not only in numbers but also in voice and influence. However, it praises women-led civil society organizations for demonstrating strong and visible advocacy, particularly during public hearings on environmental justice and public accountability.
As part of the monitoring process, InfoQuest conducted gender analyses of six key legislative proposals currently under consideration. While some bills reflect a growing awareness of inclusion, Yeanay said, others reveal critical gaps and, in some cases, pose direct threats to the rights of marginalized groups, including women and persons with disabilities (PWDs).
Key Legislative Bills Reviewed
Among the bills analyzed are an Act to Establish the Liberia Institute of Sign Language. This bill seeks to create a dedicated institution for sign language education to serve persons with hearing disabilities. However, InfoQuest flagged concerns about the lack of integration with existing educational systems, which ignores the intersection of gender and disability.
The organization recommends integrating the institute within an existing tertiary institution such as the University of Liberia to promote inclusivity, recognition, and access—especially for girls and women with hearing impairments.
The Establishment of the Ministry of Local Government
Aimed at operationalizing the 2018 Local Government Act, the bill includes gender mainstreaming language but lacks an implementation or accountability framework.
InfoQuest calls for the inclusion of gender equity audits, maternity leave policies, and the enforcement of non-discriminatory hiring and promotion practices. The group also encourages scholarships for female students, safe housing, and gender-sensitive governance structures.
Additionally, InfoQuest is urging lawmakers to prioritize meaningful reforms, including the establishment of a salary cap for elected and appointed officials to promote fairness and accountability in public resource management, and ennsure all legislative proposals include gender-responsive measures to avoid leaving any demographic group behind.
Overcoming Challenges
Despite persistent challenges, such as restricted access to committee sessions and political tensions within the Legislature, InfoQuest remained resilient through adaptive strategies and collaborative engagement. Yeanay reaffirmed the organization’s commitment to evidence-based, inclusive legislative monitoring.
He extended appreciation to the Embassy of Ireland in Liberia for its unwavering support:
“Your partnership has been instrumental in advancing this critical work,” Yeanay said.
He emphasized that inclusive governance is not a distant goal but a necessary foundation for Liberia’s democratic growth and sustainable peace.
“We call on government institutions, civil society, development partners, and citizens to stand with us in building a more just, equal, and inclusive Liberia,” he urged.
Looking Ahead
During the reporting period, InfoQuest formalized partnerships with key actors in the National Legislature, including the Office of the Speaker and relevant committee chairs. The monitoring was carried out by a well-trained, gender-balanced team who gained access to plenary sessions and tracked participation, representation, and gender dynamics in real time.
Yeanay also announced the completion of a digital platform, scheduled for launch in June 2025.
“This platform will offer real-time tracking of legislative processes, bill analyses, and gender-disaggregated data for civil society, policymakers, and the public,” he said.
With generous support from the Embassy of Ireland, InfoQuest continues to champion gender-sensitive legislative monitoring in pursuit of a more inclusive Liberian democracy.
