By: G Bennie Bravo Johnson I
The Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the “The Sisters Organization” on October 14, 2023, brought to successful completion the 2023 National Event on Adolescent Health and Well-being.
The event which was held under the theme, “Ensuring a Brighter Future for Adolescents in Liberia,” marked a significant milestone in the journey to prioritize and invest in the health and well-being of Liberia’s young population.
The 2023 National Event on Adolescent Health and Well-being brought together a diverse group of stakeholders, including 100 adolescents and 20 Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in attendance, with an indirect target audience of 500 people reached through strategic media engagements, with focused on several key objectives.
It seek to encourage commitment and action from government institutions and civil society organizations to prioritize and invest in adolescent health and well-being, leading to concrete policy changes and resource allocation, as well as to engineer shifts in national policy, programs, and finance for adolescent well-being.
Meanwhile, Hon. Dr. Wilhelmina Jallah, Minister of Health of the Republic of Liberia launched a commitment on behalf of the Government of Liberia- to improve the health and well-being of youth and all Liberian.
The Minister of health stated that Liberia will employ additional higher advocacy mechanisms to be auctioned in an effort to boost the commitment implementation and adopt higher level advocacy with senior government officials.
She further assured to invite international advocates to dialogue with higher level government official on the plight of Adolescents and Young People in Liberia.
DR. Jallah stated it is a National call to action for the adherence to Convection on Elimination Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and other international frameworks that guarantee women equal rights in deciding “freely and responsibly on the number and spacing of their children and to have access to the information, education and means to enable them to exercise these rights.
At the same time, the Executive Director of Big Sisters organization, Amelia G. Frederick appreciated the Government of Liberia for its efforts to improve the health and well-being of adolescents in Liberia and at the same time, called on the Government to ensure its commitment is achieve through quality policy and programs implementation.
Amelia highlighted several activities that have been implemented and subsequently led to the National Event for Adolescent health and then to the 1.8 Billion Young People for Change campaign.
Additionally, the Deputy Representative of UNFPA, Leonard Kamugisha in a remarks on behalf of UNFPA in Liberia, mentioned that investing in adolescents’ health and well-being is not just the right thing to do but it is a smart thing to do, because if investment is made in adolescents and young people- health and well-being will be impacted.
He reaffirmed that UNFPA will continue partnership with the Ministry of Health and the Government of Liberia as well as collaboration with young people in addressing the urgent need and agenda to improve the health of young people.
The Deputy Representative of UNFPA further stressed that UNFPA is prepared to support the Government of Liberia in the implementation of its commitment to young people.
The event celebrated past efforts in the field of adolescent well-being while fostering open discussions about remaining challenges and the necessary actions to advance the adolescent well-being agenda at the national level.
Adolescents and youth-led organizations gained a prominent platform to express their needs, concerns, and aspirations.
They were recognized as effective advocates and agents of change, with their input actively considered in decision-making processes.
The methodology employed during the event included a 10-minute video showcasing the desires of young people in Liberia and the commitment made by the Government to enhance adolescent well-being. A panel discussion and interactive Q&A session focused on the state of adolescent health and well-being in Liberia, aiming to inform policy and investments. The event concluded with discussions on next steps and future plans to continue advancing the cause of adolescent health in Liberia.
This National Event was a crucial step in supporting the Global Forum for Adolescents and the 1.8 Billion Young People for Change Campaign. Liberia’s commitment to improving adolescent well-being is not only a significant achievement in itself but also sets an inspiring example for the international community.
The Ministry of Health and The Big Sisters Organization express their gratitude to all participants, stakeholders, and partners who contributed to the success of this event.
