Liberia
Liberia
Liberia is Africa’s oldest republic and one of just two African countries never colonized by European rule (the other being Ethiopia). The country is located on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean and shares borders with Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Côte D’Ivoire. It has a population of over 5.2 million people and ranks 178 out of 192 countries in the UN Human Development Index report from 2021, making it one of the most underdeveloped countries in the world.
Liberia was formed in 1824 when the American Colonization Society brought freed slaves from the U.S. to resettle in Africa. In 1989, a rebellion sparked a civil war that began in the 90s and lasted until 2003. Then in a 2005 election, Liberia became the first African country to elect a woman as president.
The civil war displaced hundreds of thousands of Liberians, wrecked housing and other infrastructures, tore apart the education system, and further deteriorated already subpar health conditions. Many schools, hospitals, and supplies were destroyed or damaged during the war, and unsafe water conditions were a leading cause of disease during and after the war. The Ebola virus outbreak from 2014 to 2016 killed more than 4,800 people. Infant mortality is about 150 per 1,000 births, which is high compared to the global average of 29. Life expectancy in Liberia, along with neighboring countries, is some of the lowest in the world.
About 85% of Liberians are Christian and 12% Muslim. Agriculture is the leading industry, with forestry and deep sea fishing following. Liberia is also rich in natural resources and is one of Africa’s leading producers of iron ore.
2020
Through the summer and fall, our team on the ground responds to the COVID-19 crisis by finding and feeding more than 950 of those most vulnerable to starvation amid the shutdowns.
2021
As relationships deepen with like-minded partners and contacts in the area, volunteer recruitment and transit monitoring training begin. In November, LJI Liberia officially launches transit monitoring.
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Since its inception in 2021, LJI Liberia has intercepted more than 900 individuals to prevent them from being trafficked.
Human Trafficking in Liberia
- The Global Slavery Index estimates that there are 16,000 people living in slavery in Liberia.
- The U.S. Department of State categorized Liberia on Tier 2 Watchlist in their 2023 Trafficking in Persons Report, indicating that the Liberian government is working to eliminate human trafficking in their country but as of yet does not meet the minimum standards necessary to accomplish that.
- Internal trafficking is more common in Liberia than trafficking across borders.
- Minors are the most common trafficking victims in Liberia.
- Family members and respected community members frequently take the role of trafficker, promising their relatives a better life.
- Lack of birth registration and identity documentation increases vulnerability to trafficking.
- Orphaned children may be trafficked through forced street vending or child sex trafficking.
- Traffickers also exploit young women into domestic servitude in the Middle East.
Where We Work
Our core work is currently based in Nepal, India, Bangladesh, South Africa, Malawi, Kenya, Uganda, Benin, Sierra Leone, Rwanda, Namibia, Cambodia, Mozambique, Lesotho, Liberia, Zambia, Burkina Faso, Indonesia, Burundi, Ethiopia, and Argentina.
- Where we're on the ground