Jutomue Doetein is a family-planning and children rights youth leader, advocate and influencer who has served vulnerable adolescents in Liberia for over 9 years. Jutomue currently is the Advocacy Officer of SHALOM-Liberia, which is a non-governmental organization that protects women and children. Previously, Jutomue advocated and campaigned for the passage of the Domestic Violence Act in 2019, the prosecution of a lawmaker who committed rape against a minor, a series of peaceful demonstrations for government policies protecting children rights and a campaign to educate over 7,000 children on their rights and responsibilities. His team also took up the precarious challenge to call for the Senate to have more court accessibility, medical assistance and protection for rape victims.

Due to his advocacy, Jutomue was nominated for the International Children’s Peace Prize in 2018, won the Young Champions Award in 2018, chosen to be a YouthLead Ambassador in 2020 and won the 2022 International Conference on Family Planning Youth Trailblazer Award.

IVLP Impact Award Project: The Liberian Youth Civic Engagement Project

The Liberian Youth Civic Engagement Project was a six-month nonpartisan project that aims to promote voter engagement. The goal was to promote civic engagement and knowledge of elections and the voting process for 150 young adults, youth leaders and community stakeholders in Montserrado county. Voter turnout and participation rates in Liberia declined since 2016 as people losing interest in the political process due to poor governance, low civic education and other marginalized demographics. The impact of the low political illiteracy of young Liberians is immense as they constitute more than 65 percent of the population and play an important role in Liberia’s future, peace, and democracy. Thus, there was a need to deepen the understanding and interest of young citizens in the electoral process.

The project achieved its two main objectives through activities such as trainers of trainers' voters education workshop, town hall meetings with community stakeholders, establishing youth clubs in schools, conducting leadership training for youth leaders, hosting a dialogue between young people and the National Elections Commission and an International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) experience sharing session.

"I never knew how much of an impact my vote could have until I participated in the Liberian Youth Civic engagement project. It truly changed my perspective and now I feel empowered to make a difference." - Project Participant

IVLP Exchange Experience 

Jutomue was a participant in the IVLP Project Youth and Civic Engagement I in 2021, organized by the U.S. Department of State and Meridian International Center.

His exchange experience led to the development of his IVLP Impact Award Project: "Youth participation in voting processes is essential. Their future matters. Let’s civically engage them."

U.S. Communities Visited Virtually

Birmingham, AL; Washington, DC; Pensacola, FL; Louisville, KY; Boston, MA; Salt Lake City, UT

Country: Liberia

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