By: Kruah Thompson
UN Women, in collaboration with the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MGCSP), has concluded a one-day Post-CSW69 National Dialogue in Liberia, outlining concrete national actions to accelerate the implementation of the Beijing+30 Action Agenda and address critical issues confronting women and girls across the country.
The dialogue, held on Friday, July 11, 2025, at the Ministry of Gender conference room at the Ministerial Complex in Paynesville, Congo town, brought together stakeholders from government, civil society, international partners, and grassroots women’s organizations.
The event served as a platform to review progress made since the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, identify persistent challenges such as gender-based violence and economic inequality, and develop a strategic priorities roadmap to inform Liberia’s national commitments ahead of the global review process next year.
During the discussions, participants emphasized the need for stronger legal frameworks, increased budgetary allocations for gender programs, and the empowerment of women through education, skills training, and leadership opportunities.
In March 2025, Gender Minister Gbeme Horace Kollie led a 38-member Liberian delegation to the United Nations Headquarters in New York to showcase Liberia’s progress on gender equality, engage in global policy discourse, and influence global outcomes under Beijing+30 and SDG5.
Focus areas of the visit included the implementation of the Beijing Declaration; the enactment and adoption of key legislation and policies focused on women’s rights, empowerment, and gender equality; commitment to and implementation of the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace, and Security; adoption of the National Gender Policies and their corresponding action plans; implementation of initiatives in the public and private transport sectors; and prioritization of the collection and utilization of gender disaggregated data to inform development initiatives, track gender gaps, and measure progress.
Other key areas included Women in Peace and Security, Climate and Development Financing, and Women’s Empowerment and Leadership.
During the event, Liberian representatives reaffirmed the country’s commitment to the Beijing+30 Action Agenda during the 69th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69). As part of this global recommitment, member states were encouraged to focus on two to three high-impact areas.
In view of this, Liberia stepped forward as a Trailblazer Country, committing to Ending Violence Against Women and Girls (EVAWG) and to investing in young people, girls, and future generations, with a particular focus on adolescent girls and young women.
However, the dialogue aimed to galvanize a national action plan or roadmap that will foster local ownership of these commitments, align policy frameworks, and accelerate coordinated efforts toward implementing the CSW69 Political Declaration and Liberia’s Trailblazer commitments.
The roadmap highlighted plans to revisit the GBV National Action Plan by August 2025 and to reactivate and reinforce the coordination and functioning of the county-level CSO GBV Secretariats by June 2025.
It also aimed to develop and implement a Communication Plan by August 2025; map the national and sub-national initiatives targeting young women and adolescent girls in Liberia by June 2025; and advocate for the passage of the Anti-FGM Bill (ongoing).
Additionally, it called for stakeholder mobilization in September 2025 and the convening of a high-level side event at the Women’s Summit in September 2025.
After the presentation of the roadmap, participants highlighted key outcomes of the just-ended CSW69 conference and provided challenges and recommendations for the future.
During the discussion, UN Women and MGCSP reaffirmed their commitment to supporting inclusive policies and ensuring that the voices of women and girls, especially those in rural communities, are central to national development efforts.
According to Madame Priscilla Warui, the Partnership and Coordination Specialist who represented UN Women’s country office during the dialogue, indicated that “As national stakeholders, we hope to translate the commitments we’ve made into real actions.”
She noted that while many African countries make bold commitments, the real challenge remains implementing those national commitments effectively.
She emphasized that UN Women takes into account the contributions of all partners, including civil society organizations, government Ministries, and Agencies, to ensure that their efforts align with the commitments outlined in the Beijing+30 Action Agenda.
Accordingly, she revealed that the Ministry of Gender, together with the Civil Service Agency, has already begun developing a national roadmap to guide implementation.
“Our goal is to support the Ministry of Gender in ensuring that the roadmap is not only developed but fully implemented,” she said.
She added that, as highlighted, this roadmap will be presented at the Women’s Summit in September, and she expressed hope that before the summit, stakeholders will meet again to finalize Liberia’s contributions—not just to show commitment on paper, but to demonstrate concrete action.
She assured participants that UN Women remains fully committed to working hand in hand with the Government of Liberia to ensure that the Beijing+30 agenda is realized.
“We look forward to hearing from the institutions on how they plan to translate these political declarations and ministry recommendations into tangible outcomes,” she stated.
Furthermore, she disclosed that discussions are ongoing at the UN level on revitalizing the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) to ensure it reflects current realities. These talks aim to strengthen collaboration with civil society organizations and enhance engagement with governments ahead of the next CSW session.
Additionally, the Deputy Minister for Gender at the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Atty. Laura Golakeh, noted that the CSW remains a crucial annual platform where women from around the world gather to share experiences, discuss global women’s issues, and return home to strengthen national efforts. She noted that the recent session marked a reflection on the journey since Liberia’s commitment to the Beijing Platform for Action nearly 30 years ago.
“Over the years, we’ve seen a significant impact,” Madame Golakeh stated.
“There are now more women-led organizations, greater advocacy, and more women speaking out on issues affecting them. The establishment of One Stop Centers for survivors of gender-based violence is just one example of that progress. But despite these achievements, challenges persist.”
Also, Esther S. Davis, the Head of the Women NGO Secretariat of Liberia (WONGOSOL), referenced the ongoing struggle to pass legislation supporting survivors of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). She noted that although there is a ban on practice, it continues in many parts of the country.
Davis acknowledged that while Liberia has developed many strong policies, the real difficulty lies in domesticating and implementing international commitments.
She stressed, “Those girls who are forcefully initiated have the right to education. Are we thinking about their rights or only the economic benefits of harmful traditional practices?”
She called on the government to work closely with civil society to address these pressing issues in communities across Liberia.
She emphasized that while the government has signed onto several global frameworks aimed at empowering women and creating safe spaces free from gender-based violence, these commitments must go beyond signatures and be put into practice.
She expressed hope that the country will identify and address the challenges encountered during the previous plan’s implementation and work toward strengthening the new version.
“These frameworks are meant to protect the women of Liberia,” she concluded, “and they should not remain on paper; they must be transformed into action.”
