By: Julius Konton
The Female Journalists Association of Liberia (FeJAL) is set to sign a landmark sub-grant agreement worth €60,000 on Monday, 25 May 2026, under the PEACEGEN Liberia Project, an initiative financed by the European Union and implemented through the Kvinna till Kvinna Foundation (KtK), in a move expected to strengthen transitional justice, peacebuilding, and inclusive civic engagement across Liberia.
The official signing ceremony will be held at the historic WIPNET Peace Hut at Invincible Park in Monrovia, a site widely recognized as a symbol of women-led peace activism during Liberia’s devastating civil wars.
The agreement marks a significant step in Liberia’s post-war recovery journey, as institutions increasingly invest in reconciliation, memorialization, accountability, and community-centered peace processes aimed at preventing future violence and strengthening national cohesion.
Strengthening Peace in a Post-Conflict Nation
Liberia continues to confront the long-term effects of nearly 14 years of civil conflict (1989–2003), a period that claimed an estimated 250,000 lives, displaced hundreds of thousands of people, weakened public institutions, and deeply fractured communities across the country.
Since the end of the war, Liberia has pursued democratic consolidation, transitional justice, and peacebuilding initiatives designed to foster national healing and prevent renewed instability.
Against this backdrop, the PEACEGEN Liberia initiative seeks to expand the meaningful participation and leadership of women and youth in peacebuilding, conflict prevention, and transitional justice decision-making at both local and national levels.
Under the agreement, FeJAL will implement activities across five strategic counties ; Bomi County, Bong County, Montserrado County, Nimba County, and Sinoe targeting communities where local dialogue, historical memory, and civic participation remain essential to long-term peace and social stability.
The five counties collectively represent a substantial demographic and political segment of Liberia and include communities that experienced varying degrees of conflict-related trauma during the country’s civil unrest.
Media, Women and Youth Positioned at the Heart of Peacebuilding
As part of the implementation process, FeJAL will coordinate a broad range of peace-focused media and community interventions designed to improve public awareness and deepen participation in national reconciliation efforts.
Among the planned activities are:
Creative and intergenerational peacebuilding workshops;
Photography documentation of community-led reconciliation and memorialization initiatives;
Mapping of independent media institutions and community radio outlets;
Capacity-building programs for radio stations on youth-responsive, gender-sensitive, and conflict-sensitive journalism;
Public storytelling and awareness campaigns aimed at amplifying survivor experiences and marginalized voices.
The initiative underscores growing recognition of the media’s role in post-conflict reconstruction, particularly in countries emerging from violence where journalism can serve as both a platform for accountability and a tool for healing.
Observers note that women and youth frequently bear the social and economic consequences of violent conflict, yet historically remain underrepresented in formal peace and governance processes.
PEACEGEN Liberia seeks to address that imbalance by promoting inclusive participation and community ownership.
Symbolism of the WIPNET Peace Hut
The decision to host the signing ceremony at the WIPNET Peace Hut carries profound historical and symbolic meaning.
The Peace Hut remains closely associated with Liberian women who organized grassroots peace campaigns during the civil crisis, mobilizing communities and advocating for dialogue amid escalating violence.
Their efforts became internationally recognized as pivotal to ending conflict and promoting democratic transition in Liberia.
Today, the site serves not only as a place of remembrance but also as a living symbol of women’s resilience, peace advocacy, and civic leadership.
Renewed Confidence in Women-Led Institutions
For FeJAL, the partnership reflects renewed international confidence in women-led civil society organizations and the strategic role of journalism in strengthening democratic culture, accountability, and social healing.
Founded in 1998, the Female Journalists Association of Liberia has spent nearly three decades supporting women in journalism, promoting ethical media standards, advancing gender equality, and championing human rights and social justice initiatives throughout Liberia.
The organization has long advocated for stronger representation of women in media leadership while expanding community-based communication initiatives that connect journalism with development and public service.
The formal launch of the PEACEGEN Liberia Project is expected during the week of 22 June 2026, with activities projected to strengthen community dialogue, survivor-centered storytelling, and public participation in Liberia’s ongoing reconciliation process.
As Liberia continues navigating the complex path from post-conflict recovery toward sustainable peace, the FeJAL-KtK-European Union partnership is expected to contribute meaningfully to efforts aimed at ensuring that remembrance, justice, and inclusion remain central pillars of national rebuilding
