Ruth Berry Peal remains separated from her family despite her historic victory as the first woman to win a conviction for forced female genital cutting

Lawless Liberia: Legal Failure Renews Global Calls For Female Genital Cut Law

By Tecee Boley

The case of Ruth Berry Peal has prompted renewed calls from anti-FGC activists for the Liberian government to join that 24 other African countries that have passed laws that specifically make female genital cutting illegal. No such law exists in … More

Ruth Berry Peal (right) and her lawyer H. Dedeh Wilson after their Supreme Court victory making her the first woman to win a conviction for female genital cutting in Liberia

Living in Fear: After Liberia’s First FGC Conviction, Victim Still Harassed, Haunted

By Tecee Boley

In January this year Ruth Berry Peal and her family thought their three year ordeal was over. The Supreme Court upheld a lower court ruling that made the Bomi mother-of-eight the first woman in Liberia to win a conviction for … More

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf makes historic announcement of day devoted to the  elimination of female genital cutting

NN Reporting Prompts Govt to Announce Elimination of Female Genital Cutting Day

In the wake of the international uproar prompted by death threats against NN Country Manager Mae Azango, the Liberian government has taken the unprecedented step of announcing February 6 will be “Intensifying Efforts for Elimination of Female Genital Cutting” Day. … More

rapenation

Rapists’ Nation? Rape Still Stalking Liberia’s Kids; 1 in 10 Victims Age 5 And Under

By Tecee Boley

“The boy is my neighbor’s son,” says the grandmother. “We eat and play together. They came to me begging I agreed not to go to court. That court thing can waste time and money. I just want my little girl … More

GBAGBA cover

NN’s Robtel Pailey and Chase Walker Release Children’s Book on Corruption

Robtel Pailey, opinion columnist for NN and FrontPage Africa, has teamed up with NN’s photographer and FrontPage graphic designer Chase Walker, to produce a groundbreaking book designed to teach children about corruption. “Gbagba” is the story of Sundaymah and Sundaygar, two … More

Mae delivers her acceptance speech at the 2012 Committee to Protect Journalists' annual Press Freedom Awards gala in New York.

Mae Azango’s Acceptance Speech at the Committee to Protect Journalists’ Awards

“Ladies and Gentlemen. This is my shortest speech ever, because I can talk non-stop for hours without knowing it, but I will try my best to keep it short and simple, (KISS) as journalism requires. Please see video of speech here … More

Prue-Glenna headshot

NN Executive Director Prue Clarke argues aid world undercuts development by ignoring media

By Prue Clarke

By not supporting local media, the donor world fails to engage local populations in the development process and give them the information they need to drive change themselves.  By Prue Clarke, Executive Director, New Narratives – Africans Reporting Africa. | … More

uslibflags

The Negro Clause in Liberia’s Constitution Is Not Racist; It Is Protectionary

By Robtel Pailey

  There is a subculture in Liberia that, though highly visible and active, is almost never discussed – like an unacknowledged elephant in the room. (See original post here.) It consists of Lebanese businessmen and their families who started migrating to … More

waters7

Crisis Point? In Monrovia, Half A Million Gallons Water Lost to Broken Pipe

By Tecee Boley

The Liberian government submitted information to the World Health Organization and UNICEF Joint Monitoring Program that estimated eight percent of households in urban areas have pipe borne water and 88 percent have access to an improved water source. Ironically the … More

Joseph Jenkins Roberts, first president of Liberia

165 Years Young And Counting: What Have We Really Got To Celebrate?

By Robtel Pailey

  We Liberians know how to throw a good party. Whether we live in zinc shacks or in immaculate mansions, we thrive on celebration. I’ve been back in Monrovia from London only three weeks now and have already attended four … More