By: Evelyn Kpadeh Seagbeh
MONROVIA – The Women’s Land Rights Task Force of Liberia has elected two new members to its board, expanding its leadership as it intensifies efforts to advance women’s access to land and property rights across the country.
The newly elected members include Esther David Yango, Executive Director of the Women NGO Secretariat of Liberia, and Deborah Foko, Executive Director of United Disabled Women.
The two now join the three existing board members of the task force to work strategically and achieve the organization’s mission. Their election is seen as a significant step toward strengthening advocacy for women’s land ownership and inclusion in decision-making processes.
Speaking shortly after her election, Madam Esther expressed gratitude for the confidence reposed in her and reaffirmed her commitment to championing women’s land rights.
“On behalf of the women in Wongosol and myself, I want to thank you all for the confidence reposed in me,” she said. “As part of this board, we want to reaffirm our commitment to ensuring that women’s land rights remain paramount in our work.”
She highlighted the persistent challenges women face in securing land ownership, particularly in rural communities, where cultural norms and a lack of awareness often exclude women from property rights.
Madam Esther recounted a case encountered during a Women and Assets of Information Project in which a woman contributed financially to the purchase of land, yet her name was excluded from the deed.
According to her, after sustained engagement and awareness efforts, the woman was able to request that her husband include her name on the deed. However, complications arose when it was discovered that the deed still did not reflect her ownership.
“With our guidance, she was able to take action and ensure her name was properly included,” Madam Esther explained. “This is just one example of many cases affecting women across Liberia.”
She emphasized that such experiences underscore the need for collective action to empower women and protect their rights to land ownership.
“There are many women going through similar situations. With our collective efforts, we can respond to these cases and empower women,” she said.
Madam Esther further stressed that land ownership is critical to women’s empowerment, noting that access to land enables women to farm, secure loans, and actively participate in community decision-making.
“If you want to get a loan from the bank, they ask for your land deed,” she noted. “When women are empowered with land ownership, they can make important decisions in their communities.”
She pledged her readiness to work with fellow board members to support women nationwide, particularly those facing land-related challenges.
Also speaking in response to her election, Deborah Foko, Executive Director of the United Disabled Women, expressed appreciation for the opportunity to serve and emphasized the importance of translating advocacy into action.
“In the first place, I want to start by extending my appreciation to the women in this room for nominating us and affording us the opportunity to lead and serve as board members,” she said.
Foko noted that women must lead by example in advancing rights and development across Liberia.
“We are advocating for women’s rights, so now we need to put it into action because women are role models not only for our homes, but for the entire country,” she said. “When you educate a girl or a woman, you educate a whole nation.”
She also highlighted the significance of inclusive leadership, particularly for women with disabilities.
“For you, the women in this room, to take your time to support a woman like me with a disability to become a member of the board… we will do our best to maintain our space and work towards helping the institution achieve its goals and purpose,” Foko added.
Both women pledged to work collaboratively with fellow board members to strengthen the task force’s mission of promoting equitable land rights and empowering women across Liberia.
The Liberia Women Land Rights Taskforce continues to play a key role in advocating for inclusive land policies and raising awareness about women’s rights to property, as the country strives toward gender equality and sustainable development.
Madam Esther David Yango, and Deborah were elected on Thursday at a one-day strategic planning meeting for the development of the Women’s land rights Taskforce of Liberia’s strategic plan for the next five years.
At the election, ActionAid Liberia congratulated the two newly elected members of the board, emphasizing the importance of women’s leadership and the protection of women’s access to land ownership, but one that is driven by intentional action.
Representing the Country Director, Marjorie N. Wright, ActionAid Liberia’s Gender Officer extended congratulations to the Executive Director of the Women NGO Secretariat of Liberia and the Executive Director of United Disabled Women, Deborah Foko, on their appointments.
Wright emphasized the importance of women’s leadership at all levels, noting that for far too long, Liberian women have faced significant inequalities, including limited access to land ownership. She stressed that having women in leadership within institutions working to advance women’s land rights can drive meaningful policy change and reforms that benefit women.
“When more women are in leadership, they are better positioned to lead advocacy for programs and policies that create lasting change and directly impact the lives of women, because they understand the issues that affect them,” Marjorie told the audience.
She was speaking on Thursday at a one-day strategic meeting that brought together leaders of civil society organizations for the development of the Women’s Land Rights Taskforce of Liberia’s Strategic plans for the next 5 years.
The Women’s Land Rights Taskforce of Liberia (WLRTF) is a consortium of civil society organizations that brings together women’s organizations and advocates to promote equal access to land for women across the country.
It focuses mainly on raising awareness, building legal knowledge, and supporting women to claim and protect their land rights, especially in rural and underserved communities. Through trainings, community dialogues, and advocacy initiatives, the task force helps women understand laws such as the 2018 Land Rights Act and how to secure land ownership.
The task force also works to address cultural and legal barriers that often prevent women from owning or inheriting land, while encouraging women’s participation in land governance and decision-making processes. Its overall goal is to empower women socially and economically by ensuring they can access, use, and control land as a key resource for livelihood and development.