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News from the Field: First legislative internship programme launched in Liberia

Participation of youth in democratic processes is critical to enhancing sustainable democratic development. As part of Liberia’s first legislative internship programme, UNDEF supports a project for “Legislative Strengthening Through Encouraging Participation of Youth in the Democratic Process”.

This project is innovative in that it has two objectives: on the one hand, to provide legislators with student staffers to support their legislative work, thus strengthening the capacities and professionalism of the Legislature; on the other hand, to make university students more aware of the process and procedures of the Legislature, provide them with professional skills, prepare them for careers in public service and encourage them to participate in the democratic process as a whole.

This pilot programme, funded by UNDEF and implemented by UNDP Liberia, the United Nations Mission in Liberia and the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs, was officially launched in Monrovia on 30-31 October 2008.

The pilot programme awarded internships to 62 students at the University of Liberia through a selective and competitive mechanism based on academic merit, regional diversity and gender sensitivity. The programme introduces the students to legislative norms and processes and allows them to support the work of legislative committees through research and analysis, bill-drafting, note-taking and other related tasks. The students were briefed on the work of the committees, the constitutional concept and of checks and balances, civic responsibility, protocol and ethics. They will take up their duties in January 2009, while also required to complete a full course load each semester.

This legislative internship grant programme is one component of a larger initiative to strengthen the capacity of the Liberian Legislature. Following the inauguration of the 52nd Legislature in January 2006, lawmakers and the international community recognized that it lacks the institutional and human resource capacity to perform its law-making, oversight and representation functions effectively, and that it was critical engage youth in the democratic process.

This is a pilot project, and the UNDEF funding should be viewed as seed money. The success of this programme will contribute to its sustainability and enduring support from the Legislature.

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