Gbarnga, Bong County–The Prison Fellowship Liberia (PFL), in collaboration with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), has officially kicked off a ground-breaking initiative aimed at amplifying the voices of young Liberians facing challenges in accessing justice.
The project, titled “Collecting the Voices of Liberian Youths to Access Justice,” was launched at the close of a two-day training session on human rights monitoring and recordkeeping in Gbarnga. The initiative seeks to document the experiences of detained youth and improve their access to legal representation.
Speaking after the training, PFL Country Director Reverend Francis Kollie revealed that the project will work in close partnership with the Ministry of Justice and the Bureau of Corrections. The goal is to identify detained youth across the country and provide them with the legal support they currently lack.“Many young people are in detention without legal representation—some for years, others for months or weeks,” said Rev. Kollie. “
This project is intended to change that.”He emphasized that the training equipped human rights monitors with the necessary tools to collect data and maintain accurate records. These monitors will be deployed to prisons to document the conditions of detained youth and determine the circumstances of their cases.
Rev. Kollie expressed gratitude to the OHCHR for its continued support, noting that the project also aligns with the broader theme of “Enhancing and Protecting Civic Space and People’s Participation.”
He added that in addition to legal aid, the project will explore avenues for conflict resolution and mediation between detainees and complainants, particularly for cases that could be resolved outside of court.“The ultimate objective is to ensure that the voices of detained youth are heard, their rights protected, and their access to justice guaranteed,” Rev. Kollie concluded.
The launch marks a significant step in addressing long-standing concerns around legal inequality in Liberia’s justice system, especially for vulnerable groups like youth. As the initiative unfolds, it is expected to not only improve individual outcomes but also contribute to broader justice reform efforts across the country.
