Monrovia, Liberia; September 2, 2026: – “The success of this initiative will be measured not simply by what participants learn today, but by the conversations they influence afterwards, the peaceful dialogue they promote, and the positive examples they set within their communities”, said Katherine Green, UNDP Chief Technical Advisor for Liberia Electoral Support Project (LESP).
As Liberia’s digital landscape continues to expand, young people are increasingly shaping public debate through social media. While these platforms have broadened opportunities for civic engagement, they have also accelerated the spread of misinformation, disinformation and hate speech – particularly during politically sensitive periods – undermining trust in democratic institutions and social cohesion.
To address this challenge, the LESP localized global best practices in media and information literacy to equip young Liberians with the skills to critically assess information, promote responsible digital citizenship and participate meaningfully in democratic processes.
The initiative directly supports Portfolio One: Digital Transformation and Youth Empowerment of the UNDP Country Programme (2026-2030) and contributes to the Government of Liberia’s ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development by empowering young people to become active agents of change in governance and democratic participation.
It is within this broader vision that LESP, managed by UNDP with support from the European Union, Irish Aid and Sweden, partnered with one young Liberian to transform an international learning opportunity into a nationally led initiative for information integrity.
For many journalists, success is measured by the stories they publish. For Aria Deemie, her accomplishment is measured by the number of young people who leave a room better equipped to question, verify and protect the truth.
An award-winning Liberian journalist, fact-checker and social worker, Aria built her career investigating public interest issues and combating misinformation through evidence-based journalism. Her work earned national recognition from the Press Union of Liberia (PUL), including receiving awards for Health Reporter of the Year and Trafficking in Persons Reporter of the Year awards.
Through her work with Local Voices Liberia, she helped citizens distinguish facts from falsehoods while training journalists and students in media literacy.
In 2025, Aria was competitively selected to represent Liberia at the UNDP-UNESCO Media and Information Literacy for Youth in Elections (MIL4Elections) programme during the 24th University on Youth and Development in Spain.
There, alongside 20 young leaders from around the world, she explored how media literacy and information integrity can strengthen democratic processes in an increasingly digital world. Rather than keeping the experience to herself, Aria proposed bringing the training home. Her proposal was among a select number globally approved for implementation with support from Global Affairs Canada through the Project for Resilience and Integrity in the Management of Elections.
With technical and operational support from LESP, the idea quickly moved from concept to action.
A pilot workshop held in Monrovia in March 2026 generated overwhelming interest from participants and partners, who recommended that the initiative be expanded.
Responding to this demand, Liberia Electoral Support Project supported Aria to deliver a three-part workshop series between July and August 2026 titled Media and Information Literacy for Democracy: Strengthening Youth Participation through Information Literacy.
Implemented in partnership with the National Elections Commission, Local Voices Liberia and the PUL, the workshops brought together 55 young leaders from political parties, universities, civil society organizations and the media.
Using materials from UNDP’s Youth Civic and Political Participation Curriculum and UNESCO’s Journey through the MILtiverse adapted to the Liberian context, participants developed practical skills to critically evaluate online information, identify misinformation and disinformation, verify sources, understand digital citizenship, and promote respectful democratic dialogue.
Aria challenged participants to become multipliers rather than beneficiaries. “I don’t want this to be just another workshop. I want each of you to become peer mentors and take what you’ve learned back to your schools, organizations, communities and online spaces.”
Participants committed to cascading the training through university press clubs, youth organizations and community networks.
As the workshops progressed, they became more than technical training sessions. Young people from different political affiliations, professions and institutions learned to engage respectfully, question information critically and see themselves as guardians of democratic integrity.
Reinforcing this message, PUL President Julius Kanubah reminded participants that “Media and information literacy is not a luxury, but a necessity. It is the foundation for informed participation, accountability, and the defense of press freedom.”
Likewise, Local Voices Liberia Executive Director Alpha Daffae Senkpeni emphasized that distorted information ecosystems can fuel conflict and polarization, urging participants to become responsible consumers and producers of information.
For UNDP, Aria’s journey demonstrates the value of investing in youth as leaders of democratic transformation. “What began as a global learning opportunity in Spain has now been transformed into a national initiative equipping young Liberians with practical tools to navigate today’s complex information environment,” Green observed. “We are particularly proud that this effort is being led by a young Liberian whose vision and commitment have transformed international learning into local action.” Today, Aria’s impact extends well beyond the workshops she facilitated.
Through a growing network of trained young leaders, the initiative is helping create informed digital citizens who promote facts over rumors, dialogue over division and responsible civic engagement over harmful online behavior.
Her story illustrates how a single investment in youth leadership can create ripple effects across classrooms, newsrooms, political parties, civil society organizations and communities. It also demonstrates how globally acquired knowledge, when locally owned and nationally supported, can strengthen democratic resilience.
By empowering young Liberians to become champions of information integrity and responsible digital citizenship, the Liberia Electoral Support Project is advancing the UNDP Country Programme’s vision of an inclusive, digitally enabled and resilient Liberia – one where young people are not merely beneficiaries of development, but leaders shaping its democratic future.
The Liberia Electoral Support Project, managed by UNDP and implemented in partnership with UN Women and the Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy (NIMD), with support from the European Union, Irish Aid, and Sweden, continues to support national institutions in strengthening electoral governance and democratic resilience.