Monrovia - Post Report Question and Answers
Are there problems with ethnic, race/racial minorities or religious prejudices? Gender equality?
Not that I know of. However, it is a very superstitious country, so Liberians seem to hold a lot of misconceptions and arcane ways of thinking. - Oct 2021
As stated before this is a religious community, church is an all day event. With that said there are gender and religious issues with the local community. Given how small the expat community is there is a lot of support there for all people. - Aug 2019
No more so than anywhere else. - Nov 2017
There is no religious violence that I've observed, although there is often heated debate about whether Liberia is a "Christian" nation. There are a large number of Christian sects, especially of the evangelistic variety, and Liberians get extremely enthusiastic about church services. There is a sizable Muslim population as well, and there can be some prejudices against them, especially since they are usually associated with particular ethnic groups (Mandingo, Fula) that are seen by some as "foreigners" even though these groups migrated into Liberia long ago. Liberia is a male-dominated society, and women have mostly household and caregiver roles. But Liberian women can be very outspoken and of strong character, and there are increasingly more women in business and government. Rape and violence against women is a problem in Liberia. - Aug 2015
Yes, everyone assumes you are a Christian. Church attendance is regularly inquired about, even at professional events. - Dec 2013
The closest I have seen to any prejudices are an increased price for goods at the local markets for non-locals. Liberia is an extremely Christian country, but it seems to mesh well with the local Muslim population. I haven't seen or heard much about gender prejudices. - Dec 2012
Hard to tell. During my runs, I was always referred to as the "white man" by kids - not sure if that was a compliment or insult. There are still tribal allegiances, although the locals tell me that is becoming less of an issue. There is a minority muslim community as well. Given the two decades of civil war, most people have not developed conflict resolution skills. So if disagreements occur, they can escalate to violence fairly quickly. - Aug 2010
While Liberians generally function as one society, old prejudices between the Congo (Americo-Liberians) and the Country (indigenous) still exist under the surface. Tribal affiliation is still cause for land disputes upcountry. - Jul 2009
