Liberia

The Republic of Liberia, is located on the West African coast and most of the country is covered by dense tropical forests. The nation was founded on land acquired for people of African descent who had formerly been enslaved in the United States and the Caribbean. However, the large majority of its citizens are indigenous. A military coup in 1980 led the country into a long phase of civil war and instability. It was only in 2003 that a peace agreement was signed¹ and the fight for justice for the victims of war crimes committed during the civil wars is still ongoing.² 

Liberia’s population currently stands at roughly 5.2 million. According to the latest (2022) census, just under 85% of the population identify as Christian and the next largest religious group, at 12% of the population, is Muslim. 2.6% of the population claim no religion, 0.5% hold indigenous religious beliefs, and less than 1% are members of other religious groups.³ 

Liberia is a member of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

Constitution and government

The Constitution⁴ provides for the separation of religion and state and guarantees all inhabitants freedom of thought, conscience and religion as well as freedom of expression and the right to knowledge under Articles 14 and 15. It also states that no religious group should enjoy privileges or preferences, and that the country should not establish an official state religion.⁵ From time-to-time there have been proposals to amend the Constitution and establish Christianity as the official religion. However, despite heated public debate, these proposals have always been rejected.⁶ In 2025, a bill was tabled in the Senate to establish both Christian and Muslim holy days as official public holidays in an attempt to address Christian bias and promote religious equity.⁷ There has been a mixed public reaction to the bill, which at the time of writing is going through the legislative process.⁸ 

According to the law, when high-level government officials assume office, they must take an oath ending with the phrase, “So help me God”. It is also customary for Christians to kiss the Bible, and Muslims the Quran.⁹

In 2019, former President George Weah appointed a Religious Advisor on Islamic Affairs – the country’s first official Muslim religious advisor to the President. The advisor serves along with two Christian advisors, and informs and advises the President of topics relevant to the Muslim community. The advisor announced in 2019 that an agreement had been reached by the government to include both a Christian and Muslim prayer in official programs.¹⁰ The position remains under the President, Joseph Boakai’s current administration.

Political candidates have used religion as a divisive issue in a bid to gain votes. During the campaign for the 2023 national elections, churches were used to deliver campaign speeches, make political statements, and criticize the opposition. President George Weah was one of those who did so – undertaking a campaign speech from the pulpit of a church.¹¹

Religious organizations need to register with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in order to receive income tax exemptions and duty-free privileges on goods. There is a registration fee which is set at a higher rate for foreign religious organizations.¹²

Education and children’s rights

Education in Liberia was seriously affected and damaged by the Liberian Civil Wars. Most primary schools in the country are operated by churches or Christian missionaries.¹³ General public schools offer non-sectarian religious education which includes an overview and history of various religious traditions and an emphasis on moral values. The state also subsidizes private schools – the majority of which are affiliated with either Christian or Muslim organizations.¹⁴

Muslims have reported that schools affiliated with Christian organizations have received disproportionately more subsidies than those affiliated with Muslim organizations. However, the government has reported that it provides funding to schools based on need, through an application process.¹⁵

Child Marriage

The legal age of marriage for women in Liberia is 18 and for men it is 21. While the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) has recommended that Liberia harmonize the legal age of marriage at 18 for both sexes, it has also called on Liberia to take strong measures to prohibit child marriage.¹⁶ According to The Child Marriage Data Portal, a quarter of girls in Liberia are married before the age of 18. ¹⁷ Many girls are simply married under customary law affording them fewer protections than those married under official statutory law.¹⁸

Female Genital Mutilation

Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is not currently criminalized in Liberia. However, on her last day in office in 2018, President Ellen Sirleaf signed an Executive Order banning FGM after failed attempts at getting the ban included in domestic violence legislation.¹⁹ The practice is highly prevalent in the country, particularly in rural areas where it is estimated that over 50% of women and girls between 15-49 are affected by the procedure. It is believed that the practice is most frequently being undertaken on girls between 5 to 14 years old.²⁰ According to reports, FGM is usually carried out under the auspices of the Sande, a centuries old secret society that carries out rituals and training to prepare girls for adult life. Hundreds of spiritual women leaders, known as Zoes, practise FGM as a livelihood.²¹ 

President Sirleaf’s Executive Order expired in 2019. In 2022, the National Council of Chiefs and Elders of Liberia announced a three-year moratorium on FGM.²² Despite the ban, FGM continues to be practiced across the country and in 2024 the National Coalition Against Harmful Practices released a statement expressing thier concern about the “widespread resurgence of Female Genital Mutilation activities in various regions of Liberia.”²³ The UN Human Rights Committee has recommended that Liberia adopt and implement legislation criminalizing all forms of FGM.²⁴ 

Family, community and society

Although the majority of the population declare affiliation with Christianity or Islam, traditional rituals and customs originating from indigenous beliefs are incorporated into the daily lives and religious practices of many. Traditional secret societies, such as the Poro and the Sande, have considerable influence over their communities, although many of the rituals have evolved and adapted over time. There are occasions when these traditional practices come into conflict with human rights (see sections on FGM, Witchcraft, and Religion and Public Health).²⁵ 

Women’s Rights

Although Liberia is home to Africa’s first elected female head of state, President Ellen Sirleaf (2006-2018), women in Liberia continue to face systemic discrimination in most aspects of life. Violence against women and girls, particularly sexual violence, remains a major societal challenge. The World Health Organization has estimated that between 61%-77% of women and girls in Liberia were raped during the war.²⁶ Patriarchal norms and harmful behaviors and attitudes around masculinity have persisted. In 2020, President Weah declared rape a national emergency.²⁷ 

Abortion

Abortion in Liberia is only legal if there is either a risk to the life and health of the mother, fetal impairment, or in the case of rape or incest.²⁸ Given the high numbers of women and girls who resort to unsafe backstreet abortions, or attempt to provoke abortions themselves with often devastating results, there have been attempts to change the law.²⁹ Many of the country’s religious groups and leaders have expressed opposition to relaxing abortion laws.³⁰ 

Witchcraft accusations

Belief in witchcraft persists in Liberia and persecution of alleged “witches” remains a serious human rights issue. It particularly affects women and children, with frequently violent and, even, deadly consequences.³¹ Churches and religious leaders have also been involved in perpetuating these beliefs and facilitating abusive rituals intended to identify or “cure” an alleged “witch.”³² 

Despite the Government of Liberia banning Sassywood³³ and other forms of trial by ordeal in 2009, the practice has continued.³⁴ In the spring of 2021, a six year old girl was expelled from her school after being labelled a “witch.” She was told by the school that she would only be allowed back in once she was found by a church or pastor to be “free from witchcraft practices.” Momolu Dorley, President of Humanists Liberia, called on the Liberian government to take a stand against such accusations.³⁵ 

LGBTI+ rights

Same-sex sexual activity was criminalized in Liberia under the Penal Law of 1978 and carries a maximum penalty of one year imprisonment. There have been several attempts to pass harsher laws against the LGBTI+ community with the latest attempt in 2024.³⁶ However, these attempts have so far proven unsuccessful.

According to a 2020 country report on Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Rights in Liberia by the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), public opinion of LBGTI+ individuals is largely negative. It stated that this makes Liberia a ‘hostile climate’ in which LGBTI+ individuals are subjected to attacks, harassment and hate speech.³⁷ 

“Tradition and religion strongly influence beliefs, practices, values and norms and as a result many Liberians hold negative and pejorative views of LGBT people.”³⁸ 

Religious and community leaders, political figures, and media outlets have all contributed to the discrimination experienced by the LGBTI+ community.³⁹ Religious leaders and politicians have reportedly sought to label homosexual activity as “un-African” and anti-thetical to “traditional values”, and are known to promote harmful practices such as so-called “Conversion therapy”.⁴⁰ 

In a 2024 press conference, the Bishop of the United Methodist Church sought to clarify the position of the church in Liberia with regards to same-sex marriages. He stated that “the United Methodist Church will never accept same-sex marriage, the United Methodist Church is not in the business of doing gay business as it is against the culture.”⁴¹

Religion and Public Health

In December 2013, the Ebola virus spread from Guinea and reached Liberia in March 2014. Liberia proved to be fertile ground for conspiracy theories related to the virus. A number of religious leaders blamed the outbreak on supernatural forces, including “witches” and “the devil.”⁴²  

In July 2014 a meeting of bishops converged to discuss the Church’s response to the epidemic. They endorsed the following resolution:

“That God is angry with Liberia, and that Ebola is a plague. Liberians have to pray and seek God’s forgiveness over the corruption and immoral acts (such as homosexualism, etc.) that continue to penetrate our society. As Christians, we must repent and seek God’s forgiveness…”⁴³ 

Researchers agree that adherence to traditional and religious practices had a substantial negative effect on the spread of the disease in Liberia.⁴⁴ 

Freedom of Expression, Advocacy of Humanist Values

Article 15A of Liberia’s Constitution guarantees freedom of expression, stating that,

“Every person shall have the right to freedom of expression, being fully responsible for the abuse thereof. This right shall not be curtailed, restricted or enjoined by the government save during an emergency declared in accordance with this Constitution.”

Since the end of the civil war in 2003, Liberia has enjoyed peace and stability and has had free and fair elections with peaceful transitions of power. However, corruption remains a major problem and media freedoms are restricted.⁴⁵ Although a Press Freedom Act⁴⁶ came into force in 2019 decriminalizing libel and sedition, defamation remains a civil offense and is used against investigative journalists.⁴⁷ In recent years a number of journalists have also been harassed or attacked by police and security forces.⁴⁸ 

Freedom of assembly is also guaranteed under the Constitution and is generally respected, despite some brief restrictions on internet access during protests.⁴⁹ Civil society groups and non-governmental organizations are generally free to operate. CIVICUS Monitor documented fewer civic space violations in Liberia since 2023, particularly in the areas of press freedom and peaceful assembly. They have since upgraded their rating of the country from “obstructed” to “narrowed.”⁵⁰ 

1. “Liberia”, Britannica, accessed July 2025 https://www.britannica.com/place/Liberia; “Liberia Country Profile”, BBC, last updated February 2024 https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-13729504 [↩]
2. “Joint Stakeholder Report for the United Nations Universal Periodic Review of the Republic of Liberia: Impunity for Past Human Rights Violations and Transitional Justice”, The Advocates for Human Rights, CSO Platform – Liberia, Global Justice and Research Project, Center for Justice and Accountability, CIVITAS MAXIMA, Global Justice Center and Human Rights Watch, 7 April 2025 https://www.hrw.org/news/2025/04/07/joint-stakeholder-report-united-nations-universal-periodic-review-republic-liberia#_edn15[↩]
3. 2022 Liberia Population and Housing Census Final Results, accessed July 2025 https://lisgis.gov.lr/document/LiberiaCensus2022Report.pdf [↩]
4. The 1986 Constitution of the Republic of Liberia, accessed July 2025 https://judiciary.gov.lr/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/CONSTITUTION-OF-THE-REPUBLIC-OF-LIBERIA.pdf [↩]
5. “Liberia” chapter in 2023 Report on International Religious Freedom (U.S. Department of State, 2024) https://www.state.gov/reports/2023-report-on-international-religious-freedom/liberia/ [↩]
6. Ibrahim Al-bakri Nyei, “Liberia’s constitutional future: Religious and centralized?”, ConstitutionNet, 12 May 2016 https://constitutionnet.org/news/liberias-constitutional-future-religious-and-centralized;
   Evelyn T. Kpadeh, “Christians, Muslims divided over Liberia’s state religion”, Anadolu Agency, 3 April 2015 https://www.aa.com.tr/en/politics/christians-muslims-divided-over-liberias-state-religion/60990;
   Julu SwenAug,”Liberian president opposes Christian state plans”, United Methodist News, 25 August 2015 https://www.umnews.org/en/news/liberian-president-opposes-christian-state-plans;
   “Liberia” chapter, in Freedom in the World 2024 (Freedom House, 2024) https://freedomhouse.org/country/liberia/freedom-world/2024 [↩]
7. Blamo N. Toe, “Liberian senators propose law to officially recognize Christian and Muslim holidays”, The Liberian Investigator, 20 May 2025 https://liberianinvestigator.com/update/senators-propose-law-religious-holidays-liberia/ [↩]
8. Dr. Clarence R. Pearson, “Politics and Religion in Liberia: Why the Senate Must Proceed with Caution on Religious Holiday Legislation Amid Rising Jihadist Influence in West Africa”, Front Page Africa, 26 may 2025 https://frontpageafricaonline.com/opinion/politics-and-religion-in-liberia-why-the-senate-must-proceed-with-caution-on-religious-holiday-legislation-amid-rising-jihadist-influence-in-west-africa/ [↩]
9. “Liberia” chapter in 2023 Report on International Religious Freedom (U.S. Department of State, 2024) https://www.state.gov/reports/2023-report-on-international-religious-freedom/liberia/ [↩]
10. “Liberia” chapter in 2023 Report on International Religious Freedom (U.S. Department of State, 2024) https://www.state.gov/reports/2023-report-on-international-religious-freedom/liberia/ [↩]
11. “Liberia” chapter in 2023 Report on International Religious Freedom (U.S. Department of State, 2024) https://www.state.gov/reports/2023-report-on-international-religious-freedom/liberia/ [↩]
12. “Liberia” chapter in 2023 Report on International Religious Freedom (U.S. Department of State, 2024) https://www.state.gov/reports/2023-report-on-international-religious-freedom/liberia/ [↩]
13. “Liberia” chapter in 2023 Report on International Religious Freedom (U.S. Department of State, 2024) https://www.state.gov/reports/2023-report-on-international-religious-freedom/liberia/[↩]
14. “Liberia” chapter in 2023 Report on International Religious Freedom (U.S. Department of State, 2024) https://www.state.gov/reports/2023-report-on-international-religious-freedom/liberia/[↩]
15. “Liberia” chapter in 2023 Report on International Religious Freedom (U.S. Department of State, 2024) https://www.state.gov/reports/2023-report-on-international-religious-freedom/liberia/[↩]
16. Compilation of information prepared by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, A/HRC/WG.6/36/LBR/2, Human Rights Council Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review, Thirty-sixth session, 4–15 May 2020
    https://documents.un.org/doc/undoc/gen/g20/062/16/pdf/g2006216.pdf [↩]
17. “Liberia” The Child Marriage Data Portal, accessed July 2025 https://childmarriagedata.org/country-profiles/liberia/ [↩]
18. Compilation of information prepared by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, A/HRC/WG.6/36/LBR/2, Human Rights Council Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review, Thirty-sixth session, 4–15 May 2020
    https://documents.un.org/doc/undoc/gen/g20/062/16/pdf/g2006216.pdf [↩]
19. “Liberia’s Sirleaf issues last minute order against female genital mutilation”, AfricaNews, 13 August 2018 https://www.africanews.com/2018/01/21/president-ellen-johnson-sirleaf-issues-executive-order-against-female-genital// [↩]
20. “Liberia Marks International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation”, UN Women, 6 February 2025 https://africa.unwomen.org/en/liberia-marks-international-day-of-zero-tolerance-for-female-genital-mutilation [↩]
21. Dounard Bondo, “It is time Liberia enacts legislation banning FGM”, Al Jazeera, 14 April 2025 https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2025/4/14/it-is-time-liberia-enacts-legislation-banning-fgm [↩]
22. Dounard Bondo, “It is time Liberia enacts legislation banning FGM”, Al Jazeera, 14 April 2025 https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2025/4/14/it-is-time-liberia-enacts-legislation-banning-fgm [↩]
23. “Liberia: National Coalition Against Harmful Practices Expresses Deep Concern Over Resumption of Female Genital Mutilation in Liberia”, All Africa, 19 September 2024 https://allafrica.com/stories/202409200530.html [↩]
24. Compilation of information prepared by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, A/HRC/WG.6/36/LBR/2, Human Rights Council Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review, Thirty-sixth session, 4–15 May 2020
    https://documents.un.org/doc/undoc/gen/g20/062/16/pdf/g2006216.pdf [↩]
25. Gwendolyn Heaner, “Religion, law and human rights in post-conflict Liberia”, African Human Rights Law Journal, Vol 2 AHRLJ 458-485 (2008) https://www.ahrlj.up.ac.za/heaner-g#_ftn7;
    “Spotlight on Culture – The Liberian People”, Cultural Diversity Resources, accessed July 2025 https://www.culturaldiversityresources.org/single-post/spotlight-on-culture-32 [↩]
26. Louis Kuukpen, “Sexual Violence in Liberia: End the Silent Epidemic”, UNDP, 19 June 2023 https://www.undp.org/liberia/blog/sexual-violence-liberia-end-silent-epidemic [↩]
27. “Liberia declares rape a national emergency after spike in cases”, Al Jazeera, 12 September 2020 https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/9/12/liberia-declares-rape-a-national-emergency-after-spike-in-cases This came after a dramatic increase in rape cases recorded during the pandemic in which cases rose by 50%.[ref]Leah Rodriguez, “Why Liberia Just Declared Rape a National Emergency”, Global Citizen, 14 September 2020 https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/liberia-declares-rape-national-emergency/ [↩]
28. Ministry of Health, “National Guidelines for
    Comprehensive Abortion Care”, December 2019
    https://platform.who.int/docs/default-source/mca-documents/policy-documents/by-country/lbr/lbr-national-guidelines-for-cac–final-for-printing—1–rhx36-fu-j3kxyzwej2prnbs.pdf?Status=Master&sfvrsn=204be2ce_2 [↩]
29. “Liberia’s new health law will be among most liberal in Africa for abortion — if it passes”, International Campaign for Women’s Right to safe Abortion, 7 September 2023 https://www.safeabortionwomensright.org/news/liberia-liberias-new-health-law-will-be-among-most-liberal-in-africa-for-abortion-if-it-passes/ [↩]
30. “Avoid killing about 15,000 children by abortion every year – Bishop Brown calls on Liberian lawmakers”, Smart News Liberia, 15 July 2023 https://smartnewsliberia.com/avoid-killing-about-15000-children-by-abortion-every-year-bishop-brown-calls-on-liberian-lawmakers/;
    Magdalene Kahiu, “Bishops in Liberia Caution Catholic Lawmakers against “inaction” to Oppose Abortion”, Association for Catholic Information in Africa, 31 August 2023 https://www.aciafrica.org/index.php/news/8999/bishops-in-liberia-caution-catholic-lawmakers-against-inaction-to-oppose-abortion;
    “A Closer Look at the Proposed 12-Week Gestation Limit in New Public Health Law Affecting Abortion”, Front Page Africa, 25 August 2023 https://frontpageafricaonline.com/opinion/a-closer-look-at-the-proposed-12-week-gestation-limit-in-new-public-health-law-affecting-abortion/ [↩]
31. “UNICEF and partners bring hope to children accused of `witchcraft` in Liberia”, Unicef, 7 February 2023 https://www.unicef.org/liberia/stories/unicef-and-partners-bring-hope-children-accused-witchcraft-liberia [↩]
32. Tom Rowley, “The Child Witches of Liberia”, The Telegraph, 5 August 2016 https://s.telegraph.co.uk/graphics/projects/child-abuse-witches/index.html [↩]
33. Sassywood is a form of trial by ordeal in which an accused person is forced to drink a poisonous concoction often made of the bark of the Erythrophleum suaveolens tree in order to determine their guilt[↩]
34. Leo Igwe, “Sassywood And Witch Persecution In Liberia”, Modern Ghana, 26 August 2020 https://www.modernghana.com/news/1025431/sassywood-and-witch-persecution-in-liberia.html [↩]
35. Barry Duke, “Liberian school brands a girl, aged six, a ‘witch’ – then expels her”, The Free Thinker, 28 March 2021 https://www.patheos.com/blogs/thefreethinker/2021/03/liberian-school-brands-a-girl-aged-six-a-witch-then-expels-her/?fbclid=IwAR0utIx70xRHwh-DnNblB9_uINJSq__JPGryXFFRcQWeXv2FSIeuWUG6VXI [↩]
36. Colin Stewart, “Liberia: Legislator seeks supporters for his harsh anti-homosexuality bill”, Erasing 76 Crimes, 16 October 2024 https://76crimes.com/2024/10/16/liberia-legislator-seeks-supporters-for-his-harsh-anti-homosexuality-bill/ [↩]
37. UNDP, OHCHR, Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Rights in Africa: Liberia
    Country Report, (UNDP, OHCHR, 2020) https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/Documents/Countries/LR/OHCHR-UNDP-SOGIR-Report-Liberia.pdf [↩]
38. UNDP, OHCHR, Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Rights in Africa: Liberia
    Country Report, (UNDP, OHCHR, 2020) https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/Documents/Countries/LR/OHCHR-UNDP-SOGIR-Report-Liberia.pdf[↩]
39. Human Rights Watch “It’s Nature, Not a Crime” Discriminatory Laws and LGBT People in Liberia (Human Rights Watch, 2013) https://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/reports/liberia1113_ForUpload.pdf [↩]
40. UNDP, OHCHR, Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Rights in Africa: Liberia
    Country Report, (UNDP, OHCHR, 2020) https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/Documents/Countries/LR/OHCHR-UNDP-SOGIR-Report-Liberia.pdf[↩]
41. Jamesetta D Williams, “Liberia: ‘No Same Sex Marriage At UMC’”, allAfrica, 15 October 2024 https://allafrica.com/stories/202410150377.html [↩]
42. Tabatha Kinder, “I Can Cure Ebola with Vimto, Claims Liberian Bishop”, International Business Times, 3 October 2014 https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/i-can-cure-ebola-vimto-claims-liberian-bishop-1468423 [↩]
43. Terrence McCoy, “‘God is angry with Liberia,’ local religious leaders say, blaming Ebola on ‘homosexualism’”, The Washington Post, 6 August 2014 https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2014/08/06/god-is-angry-with-liberia-ebola-is-a-plague/ [↩]
44. Angellar Manguvo & Benford Mafuvadze, “The impact of traditional and religious practices on the spread of Ebola in West Africa: time for a strategic shift”, The Pan African Medical Journal, 22 (Suppl 1):9 (2015) https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4709130/ [↩]
45. “Liberia” chapter in Freedom in the World 2024 (Freedom House, 2024) https://freedomhouse.org/country/liberia/freedom-world/2024 [↩]
46. The Kamara Abdullah Kamara Act of Press Freedom (2019), Government of Liberia, accessed 27 March 2026, https://natlex.ilo.org/dyn/natlex2/natlex2/files/download/113237/2.KAKPress.pdf [↩]
47. “Liberia” chapter in Freedom in the World 2024 (Freedom House, 2024) https://freedomhouse.org/country/liberia/freedom-world/2024 [↩]
48. “Liberia”, Reporters Without Borders, accessed July 2025 https://rsf.org/en/country/liberia [↩]
49. “Liberia” chapter in Freedom in the World 2024 (Freedom House, 2024) https://freedomhouse.org/country/liberia/freedom-world/2024 [↩]
50. CIVICUS, People Power Under Attack 2024, (CIVICUS, 2024) https://civicusmonitor.contentfiles.net/media/documents/GlobalFindings2024.EN.pdf [↩]