ActionAid Initiates Capacity-Building Training for Young Urban Women

MONROVIA, LIBERIA: Day 2 of the Young Urban Women’s Movement Capacity-Building Training, organized under the auspices of ActionAid Liberia, continued with powerful learning, transformative discussions, and practical skills transfer for young women from Montserrado and Margibi Counties.

Held at the Baptist Seminary Youth Center on the Robertsfield Highway, the training sought to strengthen emerging female leaders’ confidence and deepen their commitment to combating digital abuse, gender-based violence, and other injustices affecting women and adolescent girls.

Day two of the empowerment initiative featured some of Liberia’s leading feminist voices, including Madam Lisa Diasay, President of the Female Journalists Association of Liberia (FeJAL), who opened the sessions with an engaging and practical discussion on digital safety.

Madam Diasay equipped participants with hands-on strategies for identifying online threats, protecting their social media accounts from hacking, and safeguarding themselves against digital abuse and fraud.

Her presentation emphasized that young women deserve to feel safe both online and offline and must be empowered with the tools to navigate digital spaces confidently.

Also speaking, Madam Esther S. Davis Yango, Head of the Women NGO Secretariat of Liberia (WONGOSOL), made a prevailing presentation on organizing and mobilizing within the feminist movement.

Madam Yango encouraged participants to be intentional, strategic, and united in their advocacy, reminding participants that the survivability of the movement depends on committed young leaders with the willingness to champion the rights of the marginalized and underprivileged women in society.

She stressed that as the icons of Liberia’s women’s movement grow older, it is essential for the next generation to be prepared, skilled, and courageous enough for the task ahead.

Climaxing day two of the training, Madam Chikumbutso Ngosi, International Program Manager for the Young Urban Women Program at ActionAid International, guided participants through deep reflections on decolonizing feminism.

Madam Ngosi argues that reimagining alternative approaches to empowerment and applying critical thinking to challenge systemic inequalities is paramount for the movement’s survival.

Her powerful presentation sparked renewed commitment and broadened participants' perspectives on feminist leadership and social justice.

The two-day engagement forms part of the global observance of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence and is supported by the Embassy of Sweden through the Just and Equal Communities Project.

ActionAid Liberia extended appreciation to the Swedish Embassy for its sustained partnership and congratulated all participating young feminists for the new skills and knowledge gained during the training.