Sister Aid Liberia Hosts Strategic Planning Workshop To Strengthen Women’s Leadership
February 24, 2026
By Lazota Bility
Monrovia: In a continued effort to advance women’s meaningful representation in decision-making spaces, Sister Aid Liberia in collaboration with key partners convened a two-day Strategic Planning and Constitutional Review Workshop for the Coalition of Political Parties Women in Liberia (COPPWIL).
The project seeks to promote a more inclusive and accountable democracy in Liberia by strengthening support to the electoral cycle, sustaining peace, increasing women’s participation, ensuring the inclusion of marginalized groups in political processes, and enhancing state accountability through legislative oversight.
The workshop was held on Thursday February 19- Friday February 20, 2026 under the Liberia Electoral Support Project (LESP), which is implemented by Sister Aid Liberia.
The project is co-funded by the European Union, Embassy of Ireland, Embassy of Sweden, and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). It is implemented in partnership with UN Women, the Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy (NIMD), and the National Elections Commission (NEC) as a primary national partner.
The initiative aims to advance women’s leadership in political participation and peacebuilding structures to foster inclusive governance.
Key Objectives include:
Strengthening women’s political participation and leadership.
Building women’s capacity, influence, and representation.
Increasing women’s presence in elected and appointed decision-making positions at county and national levels.
Providing an overview of the workshop, Amelia Siafa, Acting Executive Director of Sister Aid Liberia, encouraged participants to engage in open and constructive dialogue throughout the sessions.
Also speaking at the workshop, Miata Darwolo, Founder of Sister Aid Liberia, emphasized the importance of sustained engagement through COPPWIL. She called for active participation to help define and strengthen the position of women within political parties.
“I am appealing for your full participation in this session. Let us feel free to express our ideas,” she urged.
The strategic review session was conducted and co-facilitated by Mr. Charles G. Tiah and Cllr. Tonieh Wiles. The facilitators led participants through an institutional SWOT analysis, assessing organizational strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and gaps.
Reaffirming Commitment to Women’s Political Empowerment
Following deliberations, COPPWIL reaffirmed its commitment to building a robust framework that champions women’s political empowerment.
The coalition described the initiative as, a powerful tool to shift the narrative and status of women in politics and a manifestation of women’s collective power to strengthen Liberia’s democratic framework through diverse and inclusive contributions
In her remarks, UN Women Program Analyst Leeneh Y. Kanu highlighted the critical role political parties play in shaping national leadership and underscored the importance of strengthening women’s political capacity.
“UN Women Liberia is open to working and supporting such initiatives. We are here to see women fully represented,” she stated.
About COPPWIL
Founded in May 2003, the Coalition of Political Parties Women in Liberia (COPPWIL) serves as an umbrella organization for women across Liberia’s political landscape. The coalition works to ensure women move from the margins of political engagement to the forefront of leadership and decision-making.
COPPWIL’s Core Objectives:
Encourage women to join political parties.
Provide information and advocacy to dismantle myths that confine women to domestic roles.
Work with political parties to ensure women are placed in strategic leadership positions.
