Newly Elected Women's Land Rights Task Force Officials Vow Strong Advocacy

Monrovia, Liberia: The newly elected board members of the Women’s Land Rights Task Force of Liberia, Esther Yango and Deborah Foko, have pledged a new dawn in women's land rights advocacy in the country.

Both members were elected on Thursday, April 16, 2026, now joining three existing board members to drive the organization’s mission in protecting land access to women.

Speaking to the body after their election, Esther Yango, expressed frustration over the challenges women face in obtaining parcels of land and other properties in a male-dominated and influential space.

Madam Yango who also serves as the Executive Director of the Women NGO Secretariat of Liberia (WONGOSOL), vowed to work collectively with other members of the Women's Land Rights Task Force to bridge the prevailing gap.

She recounted a case from the Women and Assets Information Project, where a lady who contributed financially to purchasing land, ended up as a victim after being excluded from the deed.

The new Women's Land Rights Task Force official said these challenges continue to persist especially in rural communities where cultural norms and limited awareness often exclude women from property rights.

According to her, as a new team member, she intends to develop strategies that will shift the approach of how women go about securing land and other properties to avoid inconvenience.

“As part of this board, we want to reaffirm our commitment to ensuring that women’s land rights remain paramount in our work.”

“Many women are going through similar situations. With our collective efforts, we can respond to these cases and empower women".

“With our guidance, she was able to take action and ensure her name was properly included,” she asserted.

Madam Esther Yango at the same time stressed that land ownership is essential for women’s empowerment, particularly in accessing financial opportunities. “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.”

For her part, Deborah Foko assured the body of pushing to turn advocacy into action. Madam Foko who also serves as the Executive Director of the United Disabled Women pledged an inclusive advocacy.

She vowed to uphold the core values of the body to ensure it achieves its goals. “We are advocating for women’s rights, so now we need to put it into action.”

Meanwhile, ActionAid Liberia has moved to applaud the new board members of the Women's Land Rights Task Force, emphasizing the need for intentional action in promoting women’s land ownership. 

Representing Country Director Marjorie N. Wright, the organization stressed that increased female leadership can drive meaningful policy reforms.

“When more women are in leadership, they are better positioned to lead advocacy for programs and policies that create lasting change,” Wright said.

He at the same time highlighted the importance of empowering women through frameworks such as the Land Rights Act.