–Initiative Equips Young Liberians with Media and Information Literacy Skills Ahead of Future Electoral Processes
MONROVIA, Liberia – The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), through the Liberia Electoral Support Project (LESP), has launched a series of workshops aimed at equipping young Liberians with media and information literacy skills to help combat misinformation, promote responsible digital citizenship and strengthen democratic participation.
The first one-day workshop, held in Monrovia on July 31, brought together student journalists, political party youth leaders, civil society representatives and media practitioners under the theme “Media and Information Literacy (MIL) for Democracy: Strengthening Youth Participation through Information Literacy.”
The initiative is being implemented by UNDP in partnership with the National Elections Commission (NEC), Local Voices Liberia, and the Press Union of Liberia (PUL).
Representing the NEC, Director of Communications Titus W. Tokpah encouraged participants to take advantage of opportunities to strengthen their knowledge and skills, emphasizing that elections are decided at the ballot box—not on social media.
UNDP Liberia Electoral Support Project Communications Specialist Mambu James Kpargoi said the training reflects UNDP’s commitment to empowering young people to become responsible digital citizens and defenders of democratic values.
“Young people are at the center of this digital transformation,” Kpargoi said. “With that influence comes the responsibility to verify information, engage responsibly online and promote constructive dialogue that strengthens democracy rather than divides it.”
The workshop also highlighted Liberia’s growing role in global media and information literacy initiatives through youth leader Aria Deemie, whose proposal to localize the training for Liberia was selected for implementation following her participation in a UNDP-UNESCO programme in Spain.
Speaking during the event, Local Voices Liberia Executive Director Atty. Alpha Daffae Senkpeni underscored the importance of information integrity in safeguarding democracy, while Press Union of Liberia President Julius Kanubah urged journalists and citizens alike to verify information before sharing it, stressing that responsible use of social media is essential to protecting democratic processes.
Participants explored the dangers posed by misinformation, disinformation and hate speech, while strengthening their ability to identify credible sources and engage constructively in public discourse.
The workshop is the first in a three-part series designed to expand media and information literacy training to more youth leaders from political parties, universities and civil society organizations as Liberia continues efforts to strengthen democratic governance and build resilience against misinformation.
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