Adolescent girls have urged the Liberian government to enforce existing laws protecting their rights, calling for an end to child marriage, a unified legal minimum marriage age, and the exclusion of pregnant girls from schools.
The girls made the demands Wednesday during a press conference at the One UN House, as part of a three-day UN Women Liberia initiative marking International Day of the Girl 2026 under the theme, “Ending Child Marriage and Investing in Girls’ Rights.”
They said approximately 15 legal protections for girls already exist but remain inadequately enforced, urging authorities to prosecute violators, fund advocacy alliances, and reduce Liberia’s child marriage rate, currently estimated at 25 percent, to 10–15 percent by next year.
The initiative began October 26 with four girls shadowing UN Women staff and participating in national UN Day activities at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, followed by a workshop. On October 27, girl leaders joined representatives of the Ministry of Gender, the Children’s Parliament of Liberia and religious leaders for discussions on girls’ rights and harmful social norms.
Hannah Gonkartee of the ActionAid Liberia Adolescent Girls Panel said statutory law sets the minimum marriage age at 18, while customary law allows marriage at 16, creating a gap that can facilitate early marriage. She called for harmonization, public education and stronger enforcement.
Michelle F. Brown condemned the exclusion of pregnant girls from school, questioning why girls face punishment while those responsible for their pregnancies continue attending classes.
“Adolescent mothers deserve the same opportunities,” she said, advocating practical sexual and reproductive health education nationwide.
Jophelia F. Quayee of the UNICEF Adolescent Girls Advisory Council said teenage pregnancy affects girls’ education and mental health, while young mothers often shoulder childcare responsibilities alone. She called for greater psychological support and opposed imposing harmful practices, including female genital mutilation, on unwilling girls.
Participants identified poverty and social pressure as drivers of child marriage. Gonkartee said some families view marriage to older or financially stable men as an escape from poverty. Brown urged government and development partners to support vulnerable families through grants, business assistance and vocational training.
Rahina Tina Johnson called for safe reporting channels, particularly in rural communities, where girls may fear threats or encounter leaders who treat abuse as a private matter. She also alleged that some teachers demand money or sexual favors in exchange for grades or promotion, urging stronger reporting systems that protect students from retaliation.
Felicia Blama said Liberia’s challenge was not the absence of laws but inconsistent implementation. She urged authorities to prosecute offenders, engage traditional and religious leaders, and extend interventions beyond Monrovia.
The girls also demanded greater participation in public decision-making, improved access to scholarships for rural students without reliable internet access, and transparent award-selection criteria.
Some pledged to advance sexual and reproductive health education in their communities. Denisa Oscar of Community Healthcare Initiatives said she had mentored approximately 10 girls into the next leadership-program cohort.
UN Women Communications Specialist Loris T. Shannon, who moderated the event, described the initiative as a shift “from advocacy to action,” emphasizing the need for measurable progress against child marriage by next year’s observance.
See more Liberia News Network stories in Google Search by adding LNN as one of your Preferred Sources.
★ Add LNN as a Preferred Source