Ten Liberian civil society organizations have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to establish the Digital Advocacy and Rights Alliance (DARA). The coalition aims to strengthen the protection and promotion of digital rights, privacy, online safety, and digital freedoms in Liberia. The founding members include Women Empowerment for Self Employment, InfoQuest, and the Center for Transparency and Accountability in Liberia, among others. DARA was formed after a Digital Rights, Advocacy, Activism and Security Capacity-Building Programme conducted in Liberia earlier in 2026 by the West Africa Civil Society Institute.
The formation of DARA comes as Liberia's digital environment continues to expand, with 1.73 million internet users, representing approximately 30 percent of the population, as of late 2025. The country also recorded about 5.54 million cellular mobile connections, equivalent to 96.2 percent of the population. However, about 4.03 million people were not using the internet at the end of 2025, underscoring the continuing digital divide. The International Telecommunication Union estimates that about 6 billion people, or 74 percent of the world's population, were using the internet in 2025.
DARA's founding organizations describe themselves as civil society actors committed to protecting and promoting digital rights in Liberia and the wider region. The alliance aims to provide a collective platform for advocacy, research, capacity building, and responding to emerging threats to digital rights. Among its central objectives is advocacy and legal reform, focusing on data protection, accountability for internet disruptions, and stronger protections against gender-based online abuse and harassment.
The coalition intends to engage policymakers and stakeholders on key issues, including data protection, cybersecurity, and online safety. DARA also plans to promote an Internet Shutdown Accountability Framework, calling for greater transparency and accountability whenever access to online communications is restricted. The alliance further identifies gender-specific online safety legislation as an area for advocacy, reflecting concerns about online harassment and digital threats that can disproportionately affect women and other vulnerable groups.
DARA's capacity-building agenda will focus on improving the digital security practices, advocacy skills, and policy knowledge of member organizations and the wider civil society community. This includes strengthening practical knowledge around issues such as secure communications, phishing, and social engineering. The alliance also plans to monitor and document developments affecting digital rights in Liberia, including legislation, surveillance practices, and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence.
The coalition intends to give Liberian civil society a stronger collective voice in regional and international digital-rights discussions. DARA's stated areas of engagement include the Economic Community of West African States, the African Union, and global internet-governance processes. Such engagement could provide opportunities for Liberian civil society organizations to share experiences and draw on international standards concerning privacy, freedom of expression, and digital inclusion.
DARA's emergency response component will seek to coordinate collective action in response to emerging threats to digital rights. The alliance has identified key areas for advocacy, including strengthening implementation, accountability, and institutional safeguards surrounding data protection and cybersecurity. By promoting digital rights and online safety, DARA aims to contribute to Liberia's digital transformation and promote a more inclusive and equitable digital environment.
Key points
- The Digital Advocacy and Rights Alliance aims to promote digital rights, privacy, and online safety in Liberia.
- The coalition will engage policymakers and stakeholders on key issues, including data protection, cybersecurity, and online safety.
- DARA plans to promote an Internet Shutdown Accountability Framework and gender-specific online safety legislation.
