This short report is part of a larger project that seeks to contribute to WHRDs and LGBTQI+ activists being better protected and being able to claim rights and undertake effective participation in inclusive democratic governance in Liberia.
The purpose of the report is to give a brief overview of the current situation for WHRDs and LGBTQI activists in two counties in Liberia (Montserrado and Grand Bassa– carried out by the Liberian Kvinna till Kvinna office).
The report includes three different components, a desk review on the situation for human rights defenders globally, a survey with 77 respondents, and 19 key informant interviews with 12 human rights defenders and 7 key stakeholders.
The report concludes that human rights defenders, specially WHRDs and LGBTQI activists in Liberia are exposed to various kinds of risks, which negatively impact their ability to perform human rights activism. Living under constant threats, whether the threats are real or perceived, has a serious impact on the overall physical, mental, and emotional health of a person. The results from the study show that WHRDs and LGBTQI activists in Liberia have a narrow space to work within.