- Persons with disabilities are voicing renewed frustration over exclusion and neglect, saying the Boakai administration's promise of inclusive development under its ARREST Agenda remains more on paper than in practice.
The grievances came at the close of a two-day women's forum organized by Kvinna till Kvinna as part of the 10th Women's Consultative Conference at the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Ministerial Complex in Congo Town. From the visually impaired to the deaf, participants recounted persistent barriers in education, health care, employment, and political participation.
The ARREST Agenda and Pillar Six
Launched in January 2025, the ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development is President Joseph Boakai's five-year framework built around six pillars: Agriculture, Roads, Rule of Law, Education, Sanitation, and Tourism. Pillar Six, Human Capacity Development, pledges support for women, youth, and persons with disabilities through education, health, skills training, and empowerment.
Keep up with the latest headlines on WhatsApp | LinkedIn
Since its launch, the National Commission on Disabilities and development partners have rolled out small-scale initiatives, including a $200,000 empowerment scheme for income-generating activities. But participants said the impact has been marginal and warned that without systemic reforms and budgetary allocations, the agenda risks stalling.
Daily Struggles
Christine Vanjah, a visually impaired mother of three, described the discrimination she encounters.
"Sometimes we know they will not choose us because of our eyes," she said. "If we are preaching inclusiveness, let us look at the affairs of the visually impaired."
She urged the government to move away from token handouts. "The women on the street collecting supplies -- that only keeps us dependent. Real empowerment should prioritize those at home trying to make ends meet," she argued.
Marthalyn S. Nyanneh, another visually impaired woman from the 72nd community, said many empowerment efforts collapse because they rely on sighted intermediaries.
"If that person is not fair, they will steal the money, and it goes back to square one," she said.
She also criticized political exclusion. "When they win elections, they don't appoint us, except for that one recent president who appointed Noah," she added, urging Liberia to sign and enforce international protocols protecting the rights of the disabled.
Calls from the Deaf Community
Through an interpreter, Elsie Uray, secretary-general of the Liberia Deaf Women's Action, demanded the inclusion of sign language interpreters in schools, hospitals, courts, and police stations.
"If there are no interpreters in this room, no deaf women will learn anything," she said. "We need interpreters everywhere so women with deafness can be fully included."
Emotional and Economic Toll
Several participants described how exclusion takes both emotional and financial tolls.
Albertlyn Konneh Denis, a mother of five, said her husband abandoned her, leaving her to fend alone.
"It's emotional, but I want us to stand strong. We have brains. I'm physically challenged, but I can make a difference in society," she said.
For Zoewee Johnson of the National Union of Disabled Women, advocacy replaced despair. She recalled once contemplating suicide before turning to activism.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
"I refuse to be sad. I refuse to be quiet. I refuse to be charity or pity," she declared.
Johnson said she graduated in 2014 but has yet to secure a job. "You think we don't need jobs? You think we don't need food stamps? Right now, I want to be my own person, have my own car, and live a better life."
Words vs. Implementation
Despite the strong commitments under Pillar Six, many disabled women said they feel left behind. The National Commission on Disabilities continues to lobby for greater funding and enforcement of accessibility, but participants insisted more urgency is needed.
"The cries of disabled women should not be reduced to seasonal political slogans," one speaker concluded. "Until the promises under the ARREST Agenda are matched with action, Liberia's vision of inclusive development will remain a paper dream."
