InfoQuest Liberia Launches Gender-Sensitive Legislative Monitoring Report Highlighting SDG Progress

Introduction

InfoQuest Liberia has officially released its First Quarter Report for 2025 under the Gender-Sensitive Legislative Monitoring Project. The report covers legislative activities in the House of Representatives from January to March 2025, with a strong focus on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those related to gender equality, inclusive governance, and reduced inequalities.

Report Overview and SDG Alignment

According to Matthias Yeanay, Executive Director of InfoQuest Liberia, the report represents a key milestone in promoting inclusive governance and legislative accountability, aligning with the following SDGs:

• SDG 5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
• SDG 10: Reduce inequality within and among countries
• SDG 16: Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all, and build effective, accountable institutions

Key Findings on Gender Representation and Advocacy

1. Underrepresentation of Women: Women remain significantly underrepresented in Liberia’s Legislature, both in numbers and influence, highlighting ongoing challenges to achieving SDG 5.
2. Role of Women-Led Civil Society: Women-led organizations have demonstrated strong advocacy, particularly in public hearings on environmental justice and public accountability, contributing to SDG 16.

Legislative Bills Analyzed and Recommendations

InfoQuest conducted gender analyses on six key legislative proposals, identifying both progress and gaps in inclusion and rights protection.

1. Liberia Institute of Sign Language Act

• Objective: Establish an institution for sign language education to serve persons with hearing disabilities.
• Concerns: Lack of integration with existing educational systems and insufficient attention to gender and disability intersectionality.
• Recommendation: Integrate the institute within an existing tertiary institution like the University of Liberia to enhance inclusivity, especially for girls and women with hearing impairments, supporting SDG 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 5.

2. Establishment of the Ministry of Local Government

• Objective: Operationalize the 2018 Local Government Act with gender mainstreaming language.
• Gaps: Absence of implementation and accountability frameworks.
• Recommendations:
  • Include gender equity audits
  • Implement maternity leave policies
  • Enforce non-discriminatory hiring and promotion
  • Provide scholarships for female students
  • Ensure safe housing and gender-sensitive governance structures

Additional Legislative Priorities

• Establish a salary cap for elected and appointed officials to promote fairness and accountability in public resource management, advancing SDG 16.
• Ensure all legislative proposals include gender-responsive measures to prevent marginalization of any demographic group, supporting SDG 5 and SDG 10.

Challenges and Adaptive Strategies

InfoQuest faced challenges such as restricted access to committee sessions and political tensions within the Legislature. Despite these, the organization employed adaptive strategies and collaborative engagement to maintain effective monitoring.

Matthias Yeanay emphasized the importance of evidence-based, inclusive legislative monitoring as a foundation for Liberia’s democratic growth and sustainable peace, directly contributing to SDG 16.

He acknowledged the Embassy of Ireland in Liberia for its critical support in advancing these efforts.

Future Outlook and Technological Innovations

During the reporting period, InfoQuest formalized partnerships with key legislative actors, including the Office of the Speaker and committee chairs. A gender-balanced team conducted real-time monitoring of plenary sessions, tracking participation, representation, and gender dynamics.

InfoQuest announced the upcoming launch of a digital platform in June 2025, designed to:

• Provide real-time tracking of legislative processes
• Offer detailed bill analyses
• Present gender-disaggregated data accessible to civil society, policymakers, and the public

This initiative supports transparency and accountability, reinforcing SDG 16.

Conclusion

With continued support from the Embassy of Ireland, InfoQuest Liberia remains committed to championing gender-sensitive legislative monitoring. These efforts are vital to building a more just, equal, and inclusive Liberia, advancing multiple Sustainable Development Goals and fostering sustainable development across the nation.

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

1. SDG 5: Gender Equality
   • The article emphasizes women’s underrepresentation in Liberia’s Legislature and advocates for gender-sensitive legislative monitoring and gender equity in governance.
2. SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
   • Focus on marginalized groups including persons with disabilities (PWDs) and the need for inclusive governance and non-discriminatory practices.
3. SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions
   • The article discusses legislative accountability, inclusive governance, transparency, and public resource management reforms.
4. SDG 4: Quality Education
   • Reference to the establishment of the Liberia Institute of Sign Language and integration with educational institutions to serve persons with hearing disabilities.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. SDG 5: Gender Equality
   • Target 5.5: Ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making in political, economic, and public life.
   • Target 5.1: End all forms of discrimination against all women and girls everywhere.
2. SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
   • Target 10.2: Empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status.
3. SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions
   • Target 16.6: Develop effective, accountable and transparent institutions at all levels.
   • Target 16.7: Ensure responsive, inclusive, participatory and representative decision-making at all levels.
4. SDG 4: Quality Education
   • Target 4.5: Eliminate gender disparities in education and ensure equal access to all levels of education and vocational training for the vulnerable, including persons with disabilities.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

1. Indicators related to SDG 5 (Gender Equality):
   • Proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments and local governments (implied by monitoring women’s representation and voice in Legislature).
   • Existence and enforcement of gender-responsive policies such as maternity leave, non-discriminatory hiring, and promotion practices.
2. Indicators related to SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities):
   • Proportion of marginalized groups (e.g., persons with disabilities) included in legislative processes and access to education (implied by the discussion on sign language institute and inclusion).
3. Indicators related to SDG 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions):
   • Number of legislative proposals including gender-responsive measures.
   • Existence of accountability frameworks such as salary caps for officials and gender equity audits.
   • Access to legislative sessions and participation rates by gender (tracked via the digital platform).
4. Indicators related to SDG 4 (Quality Education):
   • Number of educational institutions offering sign language education integrated with mainstream education.
   • Enrollment rates of girls and women with hearing impairments in tertiary education (implied by recommendations).

4. Table: SDGs, Targets and Indicators

Source: frontpageafricaonline.com