A Review of Liberia Legislation Through a Gender Lens

Abstract

This review assesses Liberia’s legislative and legal institutional frameworks through a gendered lens, seeking to identify both the strengths and shortcomings of the country’s legal landscape as it pertains to female empowerment. It is intended to assess the letter of the law, how statutory and customary laws completement or contradict each other, and enforcement potential given the social norms governing women’s and men’s behaviors. The review focuses on three main topic areas: (i) sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) and sexual and reproductive health (SRH); (ii) women’s property and family rights; and (iii) labor and employment laws. The main Liberian legislation governing each topic area was reviewed and analyzed through a gender lens, meaning that the analysis takes into consideration the social and economic context that determine women’s and men’s time use, roles and responsibilities, power relationships, and expectations.