For over 15 years, Liberia was at the center of a number of interrelated civil wars in West Africa that resulted in some 250,000 deaths and the displacement of millions across the region. International peacekeepers arrived in 2003 to monitor a shaky peace agreement and prevent another slide back into violence. In the past five years, the country has been able to cautiously begin recovering and rebuilding following the devastation of such a long civil war. Hundreds of thousands of displaced families have returned to their homes, though thousands more continue to live in temporary camps in neighboring countries. The country now has a democratically elected government that has been in place since 2006.

How We Help

Since initiating emergency programs in 1996, the International Rescue Committee has maintained a constant presence in Liberia, providing urgently needed assistance to those displaced by violence. Today, we are one of the largest international humanitarian actors on the ground, working with communities to successfully reintegrate returning refugees, internally displaced persons and ex-combatants. IRC programs in Liberia currently focus on child protection and development, environmental health, medical services, gender-based violence programming, community development, education, and building employment opportunities.