- In Liberia, women are less likely than men to have progressed to secondary school (42% vs. 50%) or post-secondary studies (17% vs. 22%). o More than three-fourths (77%) of Liberians say it is rare or unheard of for families to prevent girls from going to school because they prioritise boys’ education, but 23% say this happens frequently. o More than one-third (36%) of citizens say schoolgirls “often” or “always” face discrimination, harassment, and requests for sexual favours from their teachers.
- Among working-age adults, men are more likely than women to be employed (29% vs. 19%). o Women’s lack of necessary education or skills and employers’ preference for hiring men are most frequently cited as the main barriers to women’s entry and advancement in the workplace. o Three in 10 respondents (30%) report that women are “often” or “always” prevented from taking paid employment by their husbands or family members.
- More than two-thirds (69%) of Liberians say women should have the same chance as men of being elected to public office. o Support for gender equality in politics has fluctuated over the years and is now 10 percentage points lower than it was in 2012. o Men are 15 percentage points less likely than women to endorse equal opportunity in politics (62% vs. 77%).
- More than one-third (36%) of Liberians say women “often” or “always” experience sexual harassment in public spaces such as in markets, on the street, and in public transport. o Six in 10 Liberians (61%) say women and girls are likely to be believed if they complain of discrimination or harassment. o But a larger majority (81%) say police and courts should do more to protect women and girls from discrimination and harassment.
Women and girls in Liberia continue to face significant inequalities that limit their access to education, health care, economic opportunities, and political participation. These disparities are compounded by sexual and gender-based violence and reinforced by discriminatory social norms, values, and practices (Government of Liberia, 2024; Inter-Parliamentary Union, 2025). Together, these factors undermine women’s development and prevent them from reaching their full potential.
According to the 2024 Global Gender Gap Index, Liberia ranks 42nd out of 146 countries on indicators of gender equality (World Economic Forum, 2024). However, the country performs poorly on key sub-indexes: It ranks 134th in educational attainment and 125th in health and
survival. Barriers to education remain particularly acute in rural areas and among low-income communities, while limited access to health care, especially reproductive health services, contributes to poor maternal and child health outcomes (Government of Liberia, 2024).
Economic exclusion is also widespread. Women face restricted access to land, credit, and formal employment and are often concentrated in low-wage sectors. In politics, women are significantly underrepresented: As of April 2025, Liberia places 161st out of 183 countries in the Inter-Parliamentary Union’s (2025) ranking of women in national parliaments, with women holding just 11% of seats – well below the sub-Saharan African average of 27.2% and even the West African average of 19.2%.
These challenges persist despite a strong legal foundation for equality. Article 11c of the Liberian Constitution guarantees equal protection under the law (Republic of Liberia, 1986). Liberia has also developed a National Gender Policy (2007, revised in 2018) and a National Action Plan to guide its implementation (Ministry of Gender and Development, 2009).
In addition, Liberia is a signatory to multiple regional and international frameworks aimed at advancing women’s rights, including the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, the Maputo Protocol, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.
The government’s current five-year development strategy, the ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development, identifies six pillars (Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, 2025). While Pillar 6 focuses on human capital development and includes a sub-theme on women’s empowerment, the lack of a standalone pillar on gender equality raises concerns that gender-related interventions may be overlooked or insufficiently prioritised during implementation.
Findings from Afrobarometer’s 2024 survey in Liberia suggest that women continue to face discrimination, sexual harassment, and other barriers to the development of their potential. Most Liberians say women and girls are likely to be believed if they complain of discrimination or harassment, but most also think the police and courts need to do more to protect them from such treatment.
Liberian women are less likely than men to have higher education and paying jobs. While few respondents say that families still prioritise boys over girls when it comes to education, significant minorities report that husbands and relatives prevent women from taking employment and that sexual harassment of women and girls in public spaces, including schools, is common. And while a majority of citizens support women’s equal chance at being elected for public office, the share who espouse this view has declined since Afrobarometer’s previous survey in 2022.
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