Lofa Women Still Side-Lined in Customary Land Decisions Despite Legal Protections

By Korto D. Snowe

Women in Lofa County continue to face difficulties participating equally in customary land and natural resource management. This situation, according to Chapter 9, Article 36 of the Land Rights Act—governance and leadership—violates provisions that give all community members the right to participate in land-related decision-making.

Of the 25-customary land-claiming communities recognized by the Liberia Land Authority (LLA) in Lofa County, 18 are still undergoing the formalization and boundary harmonization process. Seven have completed the process and received their deeds. Each of the seven has a Community Land Development and Management Committee (CLDMC), and three of those committees are chaired by women. However, these women say they are still not respected or allowed to fully participate in land and resource governance by some chiefs and elders.

Madam Yassah Smith, who chairs the CLDMC for five communities in Kpademai, said chiefs and elders often exclude the committee from participating in land and resource negotiations.

“For example, when a Chinese company recently began mining activities in Kpademai, the CLDMC was not consulted about the agreement. This is not the first-time chiefs and elders have left us out of important decisions regarding land and resource management,” Madam Smith said.

She added that the same happened when land was given to a farmer identified as John Selma. “We were excluded from the process, and up to now we do not have access to the agreement to know the community’s benefits or the duration of his use of the land,” she said.

Madam Smith called on the chiefs and elders of Kpademai to work with the CLDMC so that agreements are transparent and communities receive the right benefits. She emphasized that the committee was elected to lead land-related negotiations and should be allowed to perform its functions.

Ma Korpo Kemeh, head of the CLDMC for seven communities in the Kazzie area, echoed the same concerns. She said the committee is not allowed to lead land and resource governance activities despite being elected to do so.

“We are disrespected by chiefs and elders of Kazzie. They allow mining on portions of the Lofa River without written agreements, and we are not included in decisions that determine what benefits the community should receive,” she said.

She appealed to the government, NGOs and INGOs to empower CLDMCs with training and logistical support. She also called on GSM companies to expand network coverage to improve communication among committee members.

Mr. William Zayzay, LLA Administrator for Lofa County, said traditional land administration practices in the past excluded women, and it has taken time for communities to adjust to the new laws that promote women’s rights. He praised civil society organizations for supporting the formalization process and noted that the Land Rights Act includes strong provisions for women’s land rights.

He added that ongoing training and community awareness are empowering women to play leadership roles in land governance.

Chief Ballah Gbotolu, Chairperson of the Lofa County Chiefs and Elders Council, said it is important for women to participate fully in customary land and resource management because the role of women has evolved in modern society.

“Women are now a key part of decision-making. No cultural practice should prevent them from participating in decisions that bring development,” he said.

Research shows that the 2018 Land Rights Act affirms women’s equal right to own and control land in Liberia, including customary land.

Although it is often said that women use most farmland but do not own customary land, investigations show women are increasingly engaging in tree and vegetable farming.

A total of 949 male and 554 female farmers are registered to receive support under the Tree Crops Extension Project (TCEP II) for 2025–2026, indicating steady growth in the number of female cocoa farmers in Lofa.

This story was published as part of the Liberia Forest Media Watch effort to strengthen opportunities for rural female journalists to produce print and radio news stories on natural resource with support from the European Union through the French Development Agency.