Carter Center Launches New Programs in Liberia

ATLANTA, GA....New Carter Center staff have arrived in Liberia to launch initiatives on human rights and the media in support of Liberia'sefforts to build strong democratic institutions.

The Center will work with a range of Liberians, including bothgovernment and civil society organizations, to help build stronginstitutions to reinforce human rights and democracy. The Center willprovide support to local human rights organizations and undertakeprojects to improve relations between the government and the media aswell as to train media organizations in the roles and responsibilitiesof a free press.

"All Liberians share the goal of building strong institutions topromote human rights and consolidate democracy. Training mediaprofessionals and building the capacity of human rights organizationsare an important part of this," said former U.S. President Jimmy Carter."I am pleased that The Carter Center will work with the Government ofLiberia and Liberian organizations, including the Justice and PeaceCommission and the Center for Democratic Empowerment, to help themachieve their goals."

The Center's projects will be overseen by a new field office director,Phyllis Cox, who is expected to arrive in Liberia in late November.Educated at Harvard University, the Fletcher School, and University ofDenver, Cox is a lawyer with more than 25 years of experience. Sherecently worked in Cambodia for two and a half years to provide legalaid and judicial and human rights training. Joining her in Liberia isfield office Associate Director Sara Tindall, who arrived in Liberia onNov. 7.

The Center first established an office in Liberia in 1992 to supportnegotiations among the warring parties. Following the signing of thefinal peace accord in 1996, the Center sponsored projects in humanrights and observed the 1997 electoral process. Since then, the Centerhas maintained an office in Monrovia to continue its work on democracyand human rights. President Carter has visited Liberia many times andremains committed to helping Liberians build a strong democracy.

The Carter Center, a U.S.-based nonpartisan, nonprofit institution withheadquarters in Atlanta, Georgia, works to advance peace and healthworldwide. Its projects in Liberia are organized by its DemocracyProgram and supported by the U.S. Agency for International Development.