Vice President Jeremiah Kpan Koung has proposed exploring the possibility of creating additional legislative seats dedicated to women, as part of ongoing efforts to advance Liberia’s goal of achieving 30 percent female representation in the National Legislature.
During his remarks at the induction ceremony of the Women’s Legislative Caucus (WLC) on Tuesday, May 17, 2025, VP Koung highlighted that data from the recent national census could serve as a valuable resource in informing the allocation of these new seats.
He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to progress toward the gender quota, noting, “While we have made commendable strides toward reaching 30 percent women’s representation, there is still work to be done.”
He emphasized that leveraging census data could help identify areas where women have the greatest potential to succeed, thereby narrowing the existing gap. Representing the President at the event, Vice President Koung also commended the leadership of the newly inaugurated WLC and acknowledged the significant contributions women have made to Liberia’s development over the years.
He assured that the government remains dedicated to supporting initiatives aimed at further increasing women’s participation in governance and decision-making processes.
For her part, the newly inducted Chairperson of the Women’s Legislative Caucus of Liberia, Representative Ellen Attoh-Wreh reaffirmed the Caucus’ commitment to strengthening women’s political participation and advancing gender equality in Liberia.
She emphasized the urgent need for structural reforms to ensure more inclusive governance and underscored the stark reality of women’s underrepresentation, noting that women make up less than 11 percent of the Legislature, with even lower representation at the county level.
Despite notable strides in cabinet and deputy ministerial appointments following the 2023 elections, she stressed that systemic barriers—rooted in social norms, unequal access to resources, and political structures that do not fully support women’s leadership—continue to hinder women’s progress.
Margibi County Lawmaker declared that encouragement alone is not enough and insisted on enforceable provisions and reaffirmed the Caucus’ determination to push for a binding gender quota law that would secure increased female representation in both legislative and executive positions.
She recalled the Caucus’ 2022 efforts to amend Liberia’s Elections Law to mandate a 30 percent gender quota for candidate lists—a bill that successfully passed both Houses but did not become law.
