Gov't Begins Crackdown on Child Street Selling

MONROVIA, LIBERIA: The government of Liberia through the Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection on Monday, December 22, 2025, embarked on a strict enforcement of the national resolution banning child street selling and exploitation in Monrovia and its surroundings.

The national resolution is in firm support of the "Save the Future Project" under the Ministry. The resolution to ban child street selling comes admits the troubling statistics on child vulnerability in Liberia.

A 2022 UNICEF report on Liberia estimates that more than 366,000 children are currently living on the streets nationwide, while over 65,000 others are engaged in street selling. 

The commencement of the campaign against child street selling on Monday was carried out by social workers from the Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection in collaboration with members of the Liberia National Police (LNP).

During the exercise, children found selling on the streets in Monrovia, Paynesville and other surroundings, were cleared off. According to the Ministry, the enforcement does not only aim to remove children from the street, but to also enroll them in school to pursue their goals.

Speaking during the campaign the lead of the "Save the Children Project", under the Gender Ministry, Alex Divine, described child street selling as a crisis that continues to under the future of the young generation. He said it has over time resulted in trafficking and human rights abuses.

“This problem did not start today. If past governments had taken stronger steps earlier, Liberia would not be facing such huge numbers of children on the streets,” Divine said. “Children do not deserve to live or work on the streets. They deserve protection, education, and care.”

The Save the Children Project lead, Alex Divine, disclosed that the government, through the Save the Children Project, is actively working to ensure that vulnerable children receive protection and educational opportunities.

He explained that approximately 3,400 children have so far been enrolled across 72 public and private schools nationwide under the program.

Divine, highlighted that children caught as part of the enforcement are taken to nearby police stations for documentation, in consultation with their parents or guardiance.

He stated that social workers of the Ministry conduct assessments, provide counseling, and initiative a follow-up case management on the situation.

However, the Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection has announced that enforcement exercise will be extended to other parts of Liberia in the coming days.