Liberia: FORUMCIV and SELL Partner to Secure Land Rights and Empower Marginalized Groups In Lofa County

MONROVIA – A major three-year project aimed at fostering sustainable land ownership, inclusive development and environmental stewardship has been launched in Lofa County, targeting the ecologically crucial Wologisi landscape.

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By Francis G. Boayue

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The project, a collaborative effort between FORUMCIV and its partner Social Empowerment Through Learning Liberia (SELL), is being implemented with crucial financial support from the Government of Ireland.

Asa D. Chon – Country Manager of FORUMCIV giving the overview of the project on Wednesday, October 8, 2025, said the initiative will address pressing challenges in the region, including insecure land tenure, weak governance, environmental degradation, and the systemic exclusion of vulnerable groups, specifically women, youth, and persons with disabilities (PWDs).

He further said the project which is expected to run for 36 months, seeks to strengthen civil society and promote inclusive, rights-based land governance, transforming under-utilized land into a foundation for inclusive, democratic, and climate-resilient development by July 2028

Also speaking, Agnes Kormon, Programme Manager of FORUMCIV, said the core mission of the project is enshrined within three pillars: Securing Land, Empowering People, and Protecting Nature. Adding that the project has set ambitious targets aimed at transforming the socio-economic and environmental fabric of the beneficiary

communities.

She further said the project will also focus on strengthening collaboration with the Liberia

Land Authority (LLA) to ensure the effective implementation of inclusive land policy reforms, reactivating the CSO Working Group on Land Rights, and organizing a National Land Use Conference.

“This comprehensive approach by FORUMCIV and SELL, supported by Ireland, marks a vital step toward resolving long-standing issues of land security and ensuring that the most vulnerable populations in Lofa County are included in the future development of the Wologisi landscape,” FORUMCIV Program Manager Agnes Kormon asserted.

For her part, Megan Beare, Head of Development Cooperation of the Irish Embassy, said Ireland, recognizing land’s importance beyond territory as identity, livelihood, and legacy, is investing in Liberia’s future through the community-based SELL organization.

She said the project aligns with Ireland’s Development Strategy and Liberia’s Agenda, reflecting a shared belief that securing land rights is inseparable from advancing human and environmental rights.

“Ireland is proud to partner with the communities, whose voices will guide the work, demonstrating successful collaboration between civil society, communities, and government,” she added.