UNFPA Hails Launch of Legislative Population Committee in Liberia

MONROVIA, LIBERIA: The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has hailed the establishment and launch of the Population and Development Committee in the Liberian Legislature, and called on lawmakers to utilize the platform and seek meaningful improvement in the livelihoods of citizens.

The Legislative Committee on Population and Development (LCPD) was launched over the week, with the core objective to provide oversight on population issues to ensure that development plannings align with Liberia's population dynamics.

It also aims to improve the quality of life for Liberians through sustained advocacy, legislative support, capacity building, and networking in areas such as population dynamics and demography.

Speaking at the occasion in Monrovia, UNFPA Country Representative in Liberia, Dr. Mady Biaye, described the Committee as the adoption of a globally recognized best practice to advance national development priorities.

Dr. Biaye assured lawmakers that UNFPA stands ready to support the Committee through research, capacity building, and technical guidance to ensure its effectiveness.

He stressed that the committee must strengthen legal frameworks, ensuring rigorous budget oversight in specific regions in seeking the best interests of citizens.

“The formal establishment of the Legislative Committee on Population and Development is not just the creation of a new committee — it is the adoption of a globally recognized international best practice".

“A specialized committee such as the LCPD serves as the critical mechanism for translating data into law, policy into budgets, and commitment into measurable improvements in people’s lives", Dr. Biaye said.

Meanwhile, the United Nations' Resident Coordinator, Christine Umutoni, in a statement presented by UNFPA Country Representative in Liberia, Dr. Mady Biaye, emphasized that the establishment of the Population and Development Committee reflects a critical step to promote demographic data.

“The Legislature’s role in this process is unique and indispensable. You hold the power of the purse and the power of the pen,” the statement read.

Her statement noted that the committee presents opportunities for assessment and well-taken development especially for Liberia's youthful population which constitutes more than half of the country's total population.

“Liberia is a young nation — with over 70 percent of its population under the age of 35. This demographic structure presents an unparalleled demographic dividend — a window of opportunity for accelerated economic growth.”

“Realizing this dividend is not automatic. It requires deliberate legislative action,” she noted, calling for sustained investment in education, youth empowerment, and comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services", Madam Umotoni further emphasized.