About LILI
The Liberia Institute for Legal Innovation is a pioneering non-profit organization dedicated to transforming access to justice in Liberia through technology and innovation.
Our Vision
A Liberia where justice is accessible, equitable, and empowering for all citizens, facilitated by innovation and technology.
Our Mission
To bridge the justice gap in Liberia by developing and deploying technology-driven solutions, fostering legal innovation, building capacity among justice actors and citizens, and advocating for evidence-based reforms.
Our Story
Liberia stands at a critical juncture in its development journey. Following decades of civil conflict and ongoing reconstruction efforts, the nation continues to face persistent challenges in ensuring equitable access to justice for its citizens. The formal justice system remains under-resourced and concentrated in urban centers, leaving vast rural populations underserved.
Significant gaps exist in legal awareness, access to legal services, and the efficiency of formal court mechanisms. While the customary justice system remains highly trusted and utilized, particularly in rural areas, its integration with the formal system is often unclear, and it may not always align with constitutional or human rights standards.
Furthermore, the digital divide exacerbates these inequalities, limiting the potential for technology to bridge access gaps. Recent shifts in international aid flows underscore the urgent need for sustainable, locally-led solutions to address these challenges.
The Liberia Institute for Legal Innovation (LILI) was founded in response to these multifaceted challenges. Led by dedicated Liberian lawyers with deep understanding of the local context, LILI represents a pragmatic, innovative, and locally-driven approach to tackling Liberia's access to justice challenges.
The Justice Gap in Liberia
Cost Barriers
The formal justice system is perceived as prohibitively expensive, with court fees, transportation costs, and attorney fees effectively excluding a large portion of the population from seeking legal redress.
Geographic Inaccessibility
Formal court infrastructure is heavily concentrated in Monrovia and urban centers, with rural citizens facing significant travel times (average 60 minutes, up to 180 minutes) to reach the nearest court.
Low Legal Literacy
With adult literacy rates at 48.3% and lower in rural areas, many citizens are unaware of their legal rights or the mechanisms available to enforce them, particularly women and rural populations.
System Delays
The formal court system faces severe backlogs, with Supreme Court cases taking an average of 14 years and Circuit Courts averaging 597 days for disposition, eroding public confidence.
Digital Divide
With internet penetration at only 33.6% and significant disparities between urban and rural areas, the potential for technology to enhance access to justice remains largely untapped.
Trust Deficit
Compared to the customary system, formal courts suffer from lower levels of public trust, with perceptions of corruption, bias, and unfairness prevalent among citizens.
Our Core Values
Justice for All
We believe every Liberian deserves equal access to justice, regardless of location or economic status.
Community-Centered
Our solutions are designed with and for the communities we serve, respecting local contexts and customs.
Innovation
We harness technology and creative approaches to overcome traditional barriers to justice access.
Evidence-Based
Our work is grounded in research, data, and measurable outcomes to ensure real impact.