Monrovia — In mid-September, a two-day multi-sectoral technical working group convened at the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection in Monrovia to validate the final draft of Liberia's Country Report on Beijing+30. This marks a significant milestone as Liberia reflects on its progress 30 years after the landmark Beijing Conference on gender equality and women's empowerment.
Supported by UN Women Liberia, the government is preparing this comprehensive national report to assess achievements and challenges in advancing women's rights, empowerment, and equality across key sectors. The report provides a crucial analysis of Liberia's development over the past three decades and its alignment with the goals of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (BPfA).
Speaking at the workshop's opening, Deputy Minister for Gender Atty. Laura Golakeh delivered remarks on behalf of Gender Minister Hon. Gbeme Horace-Kollie. Atty. Golakeh expressed gratitude to the drafting team, which includes representatives from various government ministries, autonomous agencies, and UN Women.
"We extend our deep appreciation to UN Women for their instrumental role in facilitating the progress of this report. We are confident in the expertise of the technicians from ministries, agencies, commissions, and civil society organizations supporting this process," Atty. Golakeh stated.
UN Women Liberia's Deputy Country Representative, Ms. Yemi Falayajo, highlighted the significance of producing a high-quality report that would inform Liberia's national development agenda and drive advocacy, partnership, and resource mobilization.
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"This report is an opportunity for Liberia to document its key achievements and challenges since the 1995 conference. It is also a tool for advancing gender equality and fostering international partnerships," Ms. Falayajo noted.
The 2025 commemoration of the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (BPfA) is fast approaching. Adopted by 189 countries, including Liberia, during the 1995 UN World Conference on Women in Beijing, the BPfA remains a cornerstone for promoting global gender equality. It identifies 12 critical areas of concern, ranging from inclusive development and poverty eradication to violence against women and environmental sustainability.
Liberia, as a signatory, is committed to upholding the BPfA's objectives of equality, development, and peace for all women, benefiting society as a whole.
During the validation exercise, Atty. Golakeh emphasized the need for diligence and collaboration to ensure that the final report reflects the highest standards. She reiterated that the report would represent the Republic of Liberia as a whole, not just the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection.
The Liberia Country Report on Beijing+30 comprehensively covers sectors critical to women's empowerment and gender equality, including social protection, health, education, agriculture, digital technology, labor, commerce, governance, women's participation in decision-making, and peace and security.
This validation process is a critical step in ensuring the report accurately reflects Liberia's progress and the ongoing challenges in achieving gender equality, laying the groundwork for further advocacy and action.
