By G Bennie Bravo Johnson I
The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MoGCSP), in conjunction with the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Gender, on Friday, December 13, 2024, concluded its first National Policy Dialogue under Component 4 of the Liberia Women Empowerment Project (LWEP).
This dialogue which formed part of the National Policy Dialogue Platform that was launched in May 2024 as a cornerstone of Liberia’s commitment to aligning with its National Development Plan, was held under the theme: “Breaking Legal Barriers, Advancing Laws: Strengthening Policy Frameworks for Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment”.
The occasion brought together stakeholders, policymakers, and advocates to discuss and strategize around critical issues affecting gender equality and women’s empowerment in Liberia. The event which was organized under Component 4 of the LWEP emphasized strengthening public institutions to generate sex-disaggregated data, implement gender-focused policies, and support institutional reforms that promote equality, seeks to address the Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting Bill, the Elections Law of Liberia, and the Women Legal Aid Bill.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Gender Children, and Social Protection, Gbeme Horice-Kollie provided that the dialogue aims to identify barriers to legislative progress, propose actionable solutions, and drive meaningful policy reforms. She asserted that it represents the collective commitment of the ministry and its partners to safeguard the rights of women and girls
Her words: “Our focus today centers on three pivotal legal instruments: the Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting Bill, the Election Law of Liberia, and the Women Legal Aid Bill. These proposed laws are not only timely but essential. They represent our collective commitment to safeguarding the rights of women and girls while laying the foundation for a more inclusive, equitable, and democratic Liberia.”
The Minister added that the Government through the Ministry of Gender recognizes that tackling such transformative issues requires the active participation and collaboration of all stakeholders. She urged all stakeholders to work to ensure that the policy frameworks reflect the aspirations of a society where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.
“As we engage in dialogue, I encourage each of you to contribute thoughtfully, boldly, and constructively. Let us use this platform to generate actionable outcomes that will pave the way for the passage of these critical legislations. We stand on the brink of making history as a nation. Our collective resolve to legislate these laws and dismantle the barriers that hinder women’s freedom and advancement positions Liberia as a leader in meeting global commitments to gender equality and empowerment,” she added.
According to the 2022 National Population and Housing Census, females make up 49.6% of the population. Considering this, women and girls face barriers to gender equality ranging from discriminatory social norms, limited and unequal access to jobs, opportunities, finance and markets, limited government capacity to deliver services, limited access to key social services, information, and knowledge asymmetries, to gender-based violence, among others.
Therefore, the dialogue further seeks to address issues of concern by working towards bridging these gaps through women’s economic empowerment (WEE) programs.
The Liberia Women Empowerment Project (LWEP) is an initiative led by the government of Liberia through the Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection (MGCSP), in collaboration with key ministries, including the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) Ministry of Education (MOE) Ministry of Health (MOH) Ministry of Labor (MOL) Ministry of Justice (MOJ) and Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP) with support from the World bank
This Policy Dialogue is being conducted under Component 4: Strengthening public institutions to advance gender equality. As part of the LWEP, the Policy Dialogue Platform was established to complement existing interventions and policies addressing gender equality and women’s economic empowerment.
The Platform provides a space for cross-sectoral policy discussions to: Address policy-related constraints to Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment (GEWE). It also advocates for and drives reforms in thematic areas such as the Elimination of Gender-Based Violence (GBV), Resilientlivelihoods, and climate change adaptation for women as well as strengthens the leadership role of the MGCSP in advancing policies for the empowerment of women and girls amongst others
