UN Women launches gender-focused initiatives in Liberia and DRC

UN Women has launched the Gender Promotion Initiative 2.0, a US$3 million, three-year program in Liberia aimed at strengthening women’s leadership, gender-responsive justice, and inclusive peacebuilding. Running from April 2026 to April 2029, the initiative will focus on five priority counties: Montserrado, Lofa, Nimba, Grand Gedeh, and Grand Cape Mount. A significant portion of the resources—over 40 percent—will be allocated directly to Women’s Rights Organizations (WROs) through sub-grants to bolster their capacity in advocacy, mediation, and conflict prevention.

In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, UN Women and the MONUSCO Gender Section held consultations in Kinshasa to promote the participation of women and youth in natural resource governance. The discussions addressed how the illicit exploitation of natural resources contributes to war economies, insecurity, and violence in the eastern provinces. The initiative seeks to transform natural resource management into a driver of peace and prosperity through more inclusive and gender-responsive governance.