-To Enhance Judicial Response to Gender-Based Violence
MONROVIA, Liberia – The Association of Female Lawyers of Liberia (AFELL), with funding from the Danish Institute Against Torture (DIGNITY), conducted a one-day intensive training workshop for 21 magistrates and judges on the application of the Domestic Violence Act of 2019, in a step towards strengthening Liberia’s judicial response to gender-based violence.
Held on October 14, 2025, at the Corina Hotel in Sinkor, the workshop, titled “Survivor-Centered Rehabilitation, Prevention and Justice in Liberia,” aimed to equip judicial officers with the knowledge and sensitivity required to adjudicate cases of domestic and sexual violence effectively, ensuring relief and protection for survivors.
Officials of AFELL noted that the event stressed the critical role of the judiciary in combating what they (AFELL) identify as the most prevalent complaint brought to its Legal Aid Clinic: Domestic Violence and Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV). In her opening remarks, the President of AFELL, Atty. Philomena T. Williams, emphasized the organization’s long-standing commitment to championing the rights of women and children.
“Your Honors, you definitely play a key role in responding to Gender-Based Violence,” stated Atty. Williams, urging participants to reflect on the purpose of the Domestic Violence Act: to provide relief for victims, support their efforts to escape abuse, and ensure law enforcement can offer immediate and effective protection.
In addition to those in attendance was His Honor Justice Phillip A. Z. Banks, III, Retired Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of Liberia. In a session focused on “The Domestic Violence Act and its application in Judicial Proceedings at the magisterial court,” Justice Banks provided a detailed analysis of the law’s provisions and its practical implementation in courtrooms.
Highlighting a substantial challenge within the Liberian judicial system, Justice Banks pointed to the acute shortage of legal resources available to judges. “They are not supplying our judges with legal materials to enable them to make decisions from an informed perspective,” he stated, emphasizing that this gap hinders the delivery of well-reasoned and just rulings. In a commitment to addressing this need, he promised to provide the participating magistrates and judges with essential legal materials to aid their research and decision-making processes.
This pledge was met with appreciation, as it directly tackles a fundamental obstacle to judicial efficacy. The training itself is part of AFELL’s broader strategy of continuous judicial education, building on previous workshops that have already shown positive results, with courts now responding more effectively to GBV cases.
The agenda featured other high-level legal luminaries, including former Associate Justice Felicia Coleman, who spoke on “The role of the court in alleviating domestic violence in Liberia,” and Atty. Mmonbeydo Joah who proxied for Cllr. Richard Scott, the Montserrado County Attorney, presented on “The impact of domestic violence on women and children in Liberia.” Each session was followed by question-and-answer segments, allowing for deep engagement between the experts and the judicial officers.
According to AFELL, the workshop stressed the necessity for judges to demonstrate not only impartiality and independence but also a nuanced understanding of the dynamics of abuse. The continuous training, as noted in the President’s Remarks, is intended to “enhance your professional skills and competence, enlighten your minds and sharpen and improve your application of the law to bring relief to the victims/survivors.”
Partner organizations, including the Community Healthcare Initiative (CHI) and the Liberia Association of Psychosocial Services (LAPS), also delivered remarks, highlighting the multi-sectoral approach needed to support survivors comprehensively, from legal recourse to medical and psychosocial care.
The Danish Institute Against Torture (DIGNITY), as the sponsor of this initiative, was acknowledged for its crucial support in enabling AFELL to advance its mission. AFELL believes that this partnership is vital in a context where resources for specialized judicial training are often limited. In her vote of thanks, Cllr. Bowoulo Taylor Kelley, 1st Vice President of AFELL lauded its partners and urged participants to embrace the process with a positive attitude, mindful that they are key to fighting human rights violations and critical to the justice system in Liberia.
The Association of Female Lawyers of Liberia (AFELL) is registered as a non-profit, non-governmental, and non-political organization under Liberian law. It operates through two foundational pillars, which are its Legal Aid Clinic and a specialized Sexual Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) unit. The Legal Aid Clinic provides crucial pro bono representation to indigent clients who cannot afford legal services. The specialized SGBV unit leads the fight against gender-based violence through litigation, policy reform, and survivor support programs.
The organization’s membership consists exclusively of Liberia’s female lawyers, judges, and legal practitioners, who volunteer their expertise to advance AFELL’s mission. This mission is focused on protecting women’s rights, children’s welfare, and ensuring equitable access to justice. Throughout its history, AFELL has achieved numerous transformative legal milestones. These milestones include pioneering gender-sensitive reforms to inheritance and domestic violence laws and advocating successfully for increased women’s political representation.
The organization has also been instrumental in strengthening child protection mechanisms and establishing critical legal precedents in prosecuting sexual violence cases. Beyond these individual legal victories, AFELL has fundamentally reshaped Liberia’s justice landscape. It has accomplished this by making the legal system more accessible to historically marginalized groups through various initiatives such as rural legal clinics, community education programs, and strategic impact litigation.
