The Campaign for Human Rights and Development (CHRD) has successfully concluded two impactful youth human rights training sessions in Lofa and Montserrado counties, empowering 80 young advocates with essential skills to promote and defend human rights in Liberia. In partnership with UN Human Rights through the Youth Promotion Initiative Project, funded the UN Peacebuilding Fund, this initiative reinforces the critical role of youth in human rights advocacy and policy influence.
The training, held on March 5—6 in Lofa County and March 18—19 in Montserrado County, covered key topics, such as fundamental human rights, human rights mechanisms, monitoring & reporting violations, digital rights & inclusion, advocacy tools & techniques, and human rights defenders’ policy.
Expert facilitators from the Ministry of Justice, the Independent National Commission on Human Rights (INCHR), UN Human Rights, and CHRD guided the sessions, equipping participants with practical advocacy tools.
During the Montserrado training, Christian Mukosa, Country Representative of UN Human Rights Liberia, highlighted the importance of youth engagement, stating, “For human rights to be realized, it is essential to have everyone on board, especially young people, who make up over 50% of Liberia’s population.” He further reaffirmed his commitment to supporting the advancement of human rights, particularly for vulnerable groups.
Jonathan M.D. Yanzee, Executive Director of CHRD, emphasized that young people must be at the center of human rights advocacy. He expressed gratitude to UN Human Rights for its continued support, and stated, “The Campaign for Human Rights and Development remains committed to advancing human rights in Liberia and Africa, using diverse approaches—especially youth-centered strategies. We are leading the charge for the realization of human rights, and will ensure that participants actively monitor and report human rights violations.”
The training’s inclusivity was widely praised, with participants from diverse backgrounds, including persons with disability, sharing their experiences, calling it a “mind-blowing training” and appreciating the opportunity to learn, engage, and contribute to the human rights movement.
“There are a lot of things we learned through this training, and we are glad to be a part of it,” several participants noted in discussions and interviews.
With young advocates equipped to monitor and report human rights violations on a weekly and monthly basis, this initiative is set to make a lasting impact in Liberia’s human rights landscape.