The extent of gender inequalities varies throughout Liberia in regard to status, region, rural/urban areas, and traditional cultures. In general, women in Liberia have less access to education, health care, property, and justice when compared to men. Liberia suffered two devastating civil wars from 1989–1996 and 1999–2003. The wars left Liberia nearly destroyed with minimal infrastructure and thousands dead. Liberia has a Human Development Report ranking of 174 out of 187 and a Gender Inequality Index rank of 154 out of 159."HDI, GII." UNDP Human Development Report. : (http://hdr.undp.org/en/composite/GII, 2017.
Despite the progress of Liberia's economy since the end of its second civil war in 2003, it remains one of the poorest countries in the world today with high levels of poverty and deprivation, exacerbated by economic crises and increasing food prices.Wodon, Quentin. "Brief Overview ." In Poverty and the Policy Response to the Economic Crisis in Liberia. Washington D.C.: The World Bank, 2012. 1.
Gender roles In Liberia, men and women have clear gender divisions of labor. Women typically clean, cook, and take care of children, but their contributions to the family are rarely recognized as work. Men are seen as the head of the households and the breadwinners. Women are held back in society by biases in education, health care, land ownership, and credit, along with cultural practices like pre-arranged marriages and female genital mutilation.Population Growth and Distribution" In Consideration of reports submitted by states parties under article 18 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women combined initial, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth periodic reports of states parties : Liberia.. New York: United Nations, 2008. p 33
These factors constrain women from entering the workforce. The traditional role of women as caregivers in Liberian society is an example of Martha Nussbaum's idea of a resource-based approach, favoring protection of the status quo.Nussbaum, Martha. " In Promoting Women's Capabilities". p 253.
Shifts toward gender equality in Liberia
After the UN signed the peace treaty with Liberia in 2003, the gender roles that restricted women from achieving equality began to change. After the wars in Liberia ended, initially, there was little to no participation from women in positions of power, organizations or in government. Now, there are over 100 women's organizations according to the Women's NGO Secretariat of Liberia (WONGOSOL). These organizations serve to feed funds to local powerful women leaders. In comparison to other countries affected by wars, women in Liberia have been successful in making their voices heard in politics despite male resistance.
In terms of women in politics, Liberia had elected their first female president Ellen Johnson Sirleaf in 2006, a step toward progress in a developing country. Recently, the National Institute for Public Opinion (NIPO) has raised awareness of women empowerment and equality through organizing the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence. Through this month long campaign, it brought awareness to the legalities women were entitled to both nationally and internationally as well as female participation in politics and policy making.
On a more international scale, with assistance from Sweden, UN women have reached out to men to join the fight against gender-based violence. As part of the campaign, twelve men were nominated to become ambassadors to bring awareness and encourage other men to take a stand against violence against women. While there has been some progress, in order to fulfill the MDG development goal of promoting gender equality and empowering women there are still some areas to improve on such as addressing the gender discrimination in law, unequal job opportunities and wage gaps as well as a lack of equal women's participation in decision making.
Violence against women
Sexual violence during the Liberian Civil Wars During the First Liberian Civil War, there were widespread reports of sexual violence towards women. After the war, a survey taken of 205 women in the capital city of Monrovia showed that 49% experienced at least one type of physical or sexual violence by a soldier; 17% reported being beaten, tied up, or detained by an armed guard; 32% were strip-searched; and 15% experienced rape, attempted rape, or sexual coercion. Sexual coercion refers to a forced sexual relationship between a soldier and a woman who is forced into the relationship because of wartime conditions in order to feed herself or her family, to have shelter and clothing, or for protection and safety.
After the Second Liberian Civil War, the International Rescue Committee reported that it had assisted almost 1,000 women and girls who had suffered gender-based violence in Montserrado County. 63% of the assaults were rapes.No Impunity for Rape- A crime against humanity and a war crime. https://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/AFR34/017/2004 : Amnesty International, 2004. p 3-7. The IRC also surveyed Liberian women and girls between the ages of 15 and 49 in refugee camps in Sierra Leone. 74% of those surveyed reported having been subject to sexual violence. The majority of incidents were improper sexual comments, with sexual touching, stripping, and cavity searches also common.Nothing Left to Lose: The Legacy of Armed Conflict and Liberia's Children. http://www.watchlist.org/reports/files/liberia.report.php#gbv : Watchlist on Children and Armed Conflict, 2004.
Post-War Gender Violence Outcome
After the wars ended, the opening ceremony of the peace negotiations was held on June 4, 2003 in Ghana, Liberia. A significant issue during these negotiations for peace is that there were none addressing the sexual violence crimes suffered by both women and children, land rights or even a discussion to include women's rights to education, despite five women being present during these negotiations. Despite Liberia passing the Rape Amendment Act in 2006 to impose stricter punishments and offering no bail to accused rapists, it was found that many women's groups had never even seen the new law.
One solution that was offered in December 2008 was the creation of a rape court in order to fast track rape cases to give the victims closure. However due to the weaknesses and corruptions of the court system, many victims and their families were reluctant to press charges due to the system ruling in favor of men. While this is a step to improve the quality of life for women it does not solve the problem of sexual violence.
Women soldiers Women and girls were abducted in the thousands and forced to fight and move supplies. Many of the older girls and women were sent directly to the front line without receiving any military training. A woman resisting or refusing a commander's orders risked being beaten, raped or killed.
Ethnic violence Women belonging (or accused of belonging) to certain ethnic groups or factions had an increased risk for sexual violence, being forced to cook for soldiers or becoming sex slaves. In a 1998 survey of 106 women in Monrovia accused of being an ethnic group or faction member- 61% reported being beaten, locked up, strip searched, or raped. Women forced to cook for soldiers had even higher chances of sexual coercion or rape.
Female genital mutilation Female genital mutilation is prevalent in some ethnic groups throughout Liberia . The civil wars led to a decrease in female genital mutilation due to upheaval of life in rural areas, but the practice is still common.OECD Atlas of Gender and Development: How Social Norms Affect Gender Equality in non-OECD Countries, OECD Publishing, 2010. p 237. A 2007 study indicates that 52.8% of women ages 15–29 in the Sande Society have been subjected to female genital mutilation.Population Growth and Distribution" In Consideration of reports submitted by states parties under article 18 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women combined initial, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth periodic reports of states parties : Liberia.. New York: United Nations, 2008. p 67. The majority of victims do not speak out against the practice for fear of being ostracized or killed by community members.Population Growth and Distribution" In Consideration of reports submitted by states parties under article 18 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women combined initial, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth periodic reports of states parties : Liberia.. New York: United Nations, 2008. p 68.
Education
Inequalities When it comes to education in Liberia, boys are favored over girls to go to school. In most cases the extended family will fund the education for boys but rarely girls. This is an example of Amartya Sen's theory of Special Opportunity Inequality: education opportunities are less for girls than for boy in both primary and secondary education.Sen, Amartya. "Many Faces of Gender Inequality ." Frontline, November 9, 2001. The reason for education inequality of boys over girls is typically families believe an educated woman will take her education to her husband's family, resulting in a loss to their family. Regardless of sex, if the family is able to pay for a child's education they are usually steered toward gender specific occupation. Boys are taught the sciences and mathematics while girls are taught nursing and teaching.Olukoju, Ayodeji. "Gender Roles, Marriage and Family." Culture and Customs of Liberia. Westport : Greenwood Press, 2006. p 102.
In 2007, the literacy rate for adult men was 55% and women was 41%.OECD/African Development Bank/United Nations Economic Commission for Africa. African Economic Outlook 2009, OECD Publishing, 2009. p 360. "Literacy (and education in general) is very much connected to women's ability to form social relationships on a basis of equality with other and to achieve the important social good of self-respect."Nussbaum, Martha. "Women's Education: A Global Challenge." Signs Winter (2004): 335. "Illiteracy, moreover, is strongly linked, as I have already argued, to other forms of injustice: domestic violence without exit options and unequal political and employment opportunities."Nussbaum, Martha. "Women's Education: A Global Challenge." Signs Winter (2004): 341. - Martha Nussbaum
Education laws In 2001 an education law was enacted making primary education free and compulsory, though resources have not been adequate to implement the policy nationwide.Wodon, Quentin. "Brief Overview ." In Poverty and the Policy Response to the Economic Crisis in Liberia. Washington D.C.: The World Bank, 2012. p 37. Since her election in 2006, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has worked to promote school enrollment. In 2012 primary school enrollment in urban areas was 63.7% for girls and 86.8% for boys, in rural areas it was 33.1% for girls and 44.9% for boys.
The reason for the gender inequality is that boys are seen to be more likely to use their education to contribute to household wealth.Wodon, Quentin. "Brief Overview ." InPoverty and the Policy Response to the Economic Crisis in Liberia. Washington D.C.: The World Bank, 2012. p 40. As a result of the education law, youths who had previously little or no access to education have been returning to school. A 2006 school census showed that 15% of the students in primary school were ages 6 to 7 years old, and half of the students were ages 11 to 20.
Reasons for low education