The President of the Liberian National Bar Association (LNBA), Cllr. Bornor Varmah, has called for urgent legal and policy reforms to protect women and promote reproductive security amid the growing impacts of climate change.
Speaking at a high-level forum held at the One UN House in Monrovia under the theme “Women, Climate, and Conflict: Advancing Gender Reproductive-Security and the Rule of Law in a Changing Climate,” the LNBA President emphasized that climate change is not only an environmental issue but also a matter of human rights, security, and justice.
The event was organized by the United Nations system in Liberia and brought together government officials, development partners, members of the legal fraternity, and civil society representatives to discuss the intersection of climate impacts, women’s rights, and conflict prevention.
In his remarks, the LNBA President noted that Liberia is already witnessing the harsh realities of climate change, including intensified flooding, coastal erosion, displacement of communities, and declining agricultural productivity.
These changes, he said, are placing unprecedented strain on women, especially those in rural areas.
He highlighted that as natural resources shrink, competition for land and livelihoods is triggering localized disputes that could escalate into broader conflicts. “Women are often the first and worst affected,” he said, citing rising cases of gender-based violence, early marriage, and limited access to reproductive health services during crises.
Despite their vulnerability, the LNBA President lamented that women remain underrepresented in climate governance, natural resource management, and peacebuilding processes.
He stressed that their voices must be prioritized in decision-making to ensure inclusive and sustainable solutions.
Calling for stronger legal protections, he outlined key priorities for reform: ensuring women’s equitable access to land and inheritance rights, enforcing laws against sexual and gender-based violence, promoting transparent environmental governance, and integrating restorative justice mechanisms at the community level.
He also underscored that conflicts over natural resources are fundamentally legal challenges before they evolve into political crises.
The LNBA President further urged lawyers to play a preventive role through legal education, advocacy for climate-responsive legislation, and monitoring of government compliance with international commitments.
“The rule of law must not erode with the coastline; it must become stronger,” he said, adding that a climate-resilient Liberia must also be a gender-just Liberia.
Cllr. Varmah, amongst other things announced that the Bar Association is committed to supporting public education on environmental rights and gender protections, partnering with civil society to monitor rights violations in climate-affected areas, and providing legal aid for vulnerable women.
He further revealed plans to train Liberian lawyers on environmental justice and reproductive-security law, ensuring that the legal profession remains a central actor in promoting accountability and equity in climate governance.
In a broader appeal, the LNBA joined global calls to ensure that climate financing directly supports women’s groups and community-based initiatives building local resilience to environmental shocks.
“The intersection of climate, conflict, and gender is not abstract,” he stated. “It is a lived reality for women in places like West Point, New Kru Town, Grand Kru, Sinoe, and Bomi. Protecting them is both a moral responsibility and a legal obligation.”
The LNBA President concluded by reaffirming the Bar’s commitment to collaborate with partners in advancing gender justice, reproductive health, and the rule of law as integral pillars of Liberia’s national climate response.
