Addressing election violence in Liberia

The IGC co-hosted a one-day event in Monrovia with the Liberia National Police on 30 July 30, 2016 to brainstorm and diagnose causes of election violence in Liberia in the run-up to the October 2017 national elections. More specifically, the workshop discussed who perpetrates election violence, why, their incentives, propagation, command structures, and mechanisms. The workshop brought together academics, practitioners, policymakers, and donors with a shared background and interest in election violence prevention programming in Liberia.

Preventing election violence is important for economic growth as it reduces the incidence of injury and loss of life, as well as damage to productive assets. It may also reduce the risk of further civil conflict, investor uncertainty, and investment risks. A peaceful election is essential to Liberia’s post-Ebola economic recovery.