By Amos Harrs
The National Elections Commission (NEC) has reiterated its firm commitment to transparency, inclusiveness, and public engagement as Liberia prepares for its long-awaited electoral boundary review process.
This renewed pledge followed the successful conclusion of a three-day Civil Society Workshop on Boundary Delimitation, held from October 1–3, 2025, at a local hotel in Monrovia.
The workshop brought together 22 representatives from civil society organizations (CSOs) to examine international standards, legal frameworks, and best practices governing electoral boundary demarcation.
The event was organized under the UNDP Liberia Electoral Support Project, with funding from the European Union, Irish Aid, and Sweden, and implemented in collaboration with the European Partnership for Democracy (EPD).
The initiative forms part of broader efforts to strengthen Liberia’s democratic institutions and promote credible elections.
In her opening address, NEC Chairperson Davidetta Browne-Lansanah emphasized that openness, public involvement and civic education are central to ensuring fairness in the boundary delimitation process.
“There remains a widespread lack of understanding about boundary delimitation and the basis for Liberia’s House of Representatives constituencies, which continues to generate resistance,” Browne-Lansanah noted.
“From an election management perspective, inclusiveness and transparency are international best practices.
The process must be open to the public, and stakeholder views must be seriously considered in any proposed changes.”
She stressed that civil society’s participation is vital to building civic awareness, trust, and confidence in NEC’s decisions.
The workshop, she added, sought to enhance technical capacity while deepening collaboration among key electoral stakeholders.
Also speaking at the event, UNDP Liberia Programme Officer Roosevelt Zayzay called on CSOs and the media to act as critical partners in promoting transparency and fairness.
“Their involvement spans advocacy, civic education, and public awareness,” Zayzay said.
“Civil society and media engagement are essential to ensuring a fair and inclusive boundary delimitation process.”
During the sessions, participants reviewed international case studies from Papua New Guinea, Ghana, and Nigeria, which provided comparative lessons on managing electoral boundary reforms.
Archie Delaney, UNDP’s Data and Spatial Management Consultant, presented an in-depth review of Liberia’s boundary delimitation history.
He highlighted persistent challenges such as unclear administrative boundaries, inconsistent census data, and overlapping jurisdictions.
Delaney urged CSOs to remain vigilant in safeguarding transparency and accountability as the process unfolds.
Through interactive group exercises, participants simulated boundary delimitation scenarios to better understand the technical, demographic, and political complexities involved in redrawing electoral districts.
The workshop built on earlier technical consultations held from September 17–24, which brought together NEC Commissioners, senior staff and technical experts to assess Liberia’s apportionment history and legislative seat distribution since 2005.
Those sessions produced key recommendations emphasizing impartiality, transparency, and data accuracy.
A follow-up meeting on September 24 identified several national challenges, including unreliable demographic data and the need for modern mapping tools to support equitable representation across electoral districts.
The Liberia Electoral Support Project, jointly implemented by UNDP, UN Women, and the Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy (NIMD), continues to strengthen NEC’s institutional capacity and enhance citizen participation.
Supported by the EU, Ireland, and Sweden, the project aims to promote credible, inclusive, and transparent electoral processes in Liberia.
The NEC’s engagement with civil society represents a major milestone in preparing for a fair and data-driven boundary delimitation process one that ensures every Liberian’s voice is fairly represented in the nation’s democracy.
