-To Advance Women’s Role in Transitional Justice
By Jerromie S. Walters
Banjul, The Gambia – The Association of Female Lawyers of Liberia (AFELL) is represented on a high-level regional study visit to The Gambia, which brings together women’s rights organizations to strengthen women’s meaningful participation in Liberia’s emerging transitional justice framework.
Cllr. Bowoulo Taylor-Kelley, AFELL’s First Vice President, is representing the organization as part of a Liberian delegation that includes civil society organizations, women human rights defenders, and government representatives. The three-day visit is concluding today, September 30, 2026.
Organizers designed the visit to nurture mutual learning and collaboration between Liberian and Gambian transitional justice actors. It comes at a critical moment: more than two decades after Liberia’s civil conflicts ended, renewed momentum has emerged around implementing the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) recommendations.
The urgency for inclusive, victim-centered, and gender-responsive mechanisms has intensified with the establishment of the Office for the Establishment of the War and Economic Crimes Court for Liberia (OWECC-L) and the recent transmission of draft bills for a War and Economic Crimes Court (WECC) and a National Anti-Corruption Court (NACC) to the Legislature.
The Gambia, guiding its own transition from 22 years of authoritarian rule, offers a timely and relevant comparative experience. Since concluding its Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC), The Gambia has adopted an implementation plan, established a Reparations Commission, appointed a Special Prosecutor in April 2026, and secured ECOWAS-backed support for a Special Tribunal as a hybrid judicial mechanism.
Meanwhile, the study visit is employing a participatory peer-learning methodology, combining institutional briefings, technical presentations, experience-sharing, and site visits. The Liberian delegation is engaging directly with Gambian counterparts, including government institutions, national human rights institutions, civil society organizations, victims’ organizations, and women-led groups. Specialized meetings are being held with key institutions such as the Office of the Special Prosecutor and the Special Criminal Division of the High Court.
The delegation includes representatives from a broad cross-section of Liberian society: AFELL, the Liberian National Bar Association (LNBA), WONGOSOL, FEJAL, MEDICA, and representatives from the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Gender, and OWECC-L. Human Rights Officers from the OHCHR are also participating.
Moreover, the visit is focusing on several core objectives: enhancing participants’ comparative understanding of The Gambia’s Special Accountability Mechanism and Liberia’s process for establishing the WECC and NACC; strengthening the capacity of Liberian CSOs to advocate for comprehensive implementation of TRC recommendations; and promoting women and girls’ meaningful participation in the design and implementation of gender-responsive and victim-centered transitional justice mechanisms.
Strengthening Regional Solidarity
The exchange is also highlighting the importance of regional and international support in advancing accountability initiatives. Participants are examining how women-led advocacy, victim participation, civil society engagement, and regional partnerships—such as ECOWAS’s support for The Gambia’s Special Tribunal—are contributing to advancing accountability and broader transitional justice objectives.
Organizers are proposing a complementary segment in Dakar, Senegal, during the next public session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR). This segment would enable Liberian and Gambian actors to engage with the African human rights system and contribute to a side event on strengthening transitional justice processes through women’s leadership and action.
Following the visit, the Liberian delegation is expected to produce a set of practical recommendations for strengthening gender-responsive transitional justice processes in Liberia, drawing on comparative experiences and lessons from The Gambia. The visit also aims to strengthen institutional linkages and identify opportunities for continued collaboration, peer learning, and joint advocacy among Liberian and Gambian stakeholders.
The Association of Female Lawyers of Liberia (AFELL) is a non-profit professional organization dedicated to promoting and protecting the rights of women and children in Liberia. Founded in 1994, AFELL works to advance gender equality, access to justice, and the rule of law through legal advocacy, public education, and strategic litigation.
