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On the coast of Liberia , two groups of citizens from two small towns – one called Harper, the other called Greenville – could not figure out the best way to address the amount of violence against women in their communities. Perpetrators of the violence were rarely punished, and victims rarely felt that the crimes against them were adequately addressed. The two groups of advocates, the Action for Community and Human Development (ACOHD) and the Movement for Peace and Reconciliation (MOPAR), would spend their time trying to convince their local chiefs that his rulings were wrong, but this approach was not working, either for the individuals involved or for the greater cause of justice.

As a direct result of attending a New Tactics workshop held on the ground in Liberia, the two groups learned to look at what motivated the chiefs and to seek ways to influence them. They began education and organizing programs involving elders, women, and young people, taking important new steps toward building community and raising awareness of gender-based violence.