Ending Liberia’s Second Civil War: Religious Women as Peacemakers

Abstract

This case study provides an overview of how a peace movement led by lay religious women inspired people across ethnic and religious lines and helped bring an end to the Second Liberian Civil War (1999-2003). The study examines this Liberian phenomenon by answering six questions: What are the causes of conflict in Liberia? How did domestic religious actors promote peace? How was laity-led peacebuilding different from that of religious elites? How did domestic efforts intersect with international efforts at peace? What factors explain the success of religion-inspired peacebuilding? How did religious actors continue to promote peace in the post-conflict phase? The case study includes a core text, a timeline of key events, a guide to relevant religious organizations, and a list of further readings.