A 9-year-old girl led a protest in Monrovia on Monday, passionately pleading with the United Nations and accusing the Liberian government of leaving children vulnerable to predators who face no punishment.
Reading a petition on behalf of women and girls across the country, Juren Korlu Morlu, daughter of activist Mulbah Morlu, informed the UN Resident Coordinator's Office that Liberia's justice system is "failing under President Joseph Nyuma Boakai," enabling sexual abuse cases to go unpunished and allowing powerful suspects to go free.
"We are begging for help because our safety is no longer guaranteed," she said, her voice carrying across the crowd. "More and more young girls are being sexually abused, and our government is not protecting us."
She noted in the petition that over 2,000 cases of rape and sexual violence remain unresolved, with missing case files, halted investigations, and families pushed into silence. Survivors, the statement said, are often ignored when the accused has political ties.
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"This is not a mistake. It is neglect," the child activist read. "When someone close to the government is involved in a rape case, the case is ignored, delayed, or simply forgotten."
Advocates cited several victims by name, Maya, Lorpu, Dennesse, Princess, Christine, Roberta, Janjay, Kula, Favor, calling them symbols of a broader national crisis. The petition also spotlighted a recent allegation involving a 14-year-old girl whose family says she was raped by a deputy minister. According to the statement, the official continues to report to work at the Ministry of Youth and Sports while the victim "suffers quietly."
"He even mocks her father, who is just a simple security officer," the petition alleged.
The group's message to the United Nations was blunt: intervene.
"If the Government of Liberia will not protect its own children, then the United Nations must help us now," the petition stated. "Not tomorrow. Not later. Now."
The petitioners urged the UN to initiate an independent investigation into unresolved rape cases, pressure the Liberian government to prosecute offenders, protect survivors from intimidation, and hold public officials accountable if they interfere with justice. They also called for UN support in providing emergency protection services for at-risk girls.
"This is not just a request," the young reader said. "It is a cry for help."
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