UN Women Calls For Stronger Action To Ensure Liberia’s Women, Peace And Security Plan Works

UN Women is calling for sustained funding, stronger coordination and grassroots participation to ensure Liberia’s Third National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security translates into practical improvements in the lives of women and girls across the country.

The call was made during the launch of the 2026–2031 plan by the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, with support from UN Women.

UN Women Liberia Deputy Country Representative Yemi Falayajo said the success of the plan would depend on its implementation and the changes it brings to women and girls in their communities.

“The true measure of this plan will be in its implementation,” Falayajo said.

She called for women’s meaningful participation in decision-making, more leadership opportunities for young women and sustained support for women peacebuilders.

Falayajo also emphasized the need to take the plan to communities across Liberia’s 15 counties, ensuring that women understand its provisions and know how they can contribute to its implementation.

She said women should not be viewed only as beneficiaries of peace initiatives but as indispensable partners in building and sustaining peace.

Also speaking, Christian Mukosa, Head of the United Nations Human Rights Office in Liberia, said local women, women’s organizations and civil society groups would be essential to ensuring that the plan reaches communities, particularly those that government institutions may not easily access.

Mukosa urged stakeholders to ensure the plan does not remain another policy document without practical impact, describing it as a “living document” that should improve the everyday lives of women, girls and communities, including those in rural and economically disadvantaged areas.

He stressed the need for government leadership and the involvement of relevant ministries and institutions to ensure the commitments are translated into action.

Meanwhile, Meg Bear, Deputy Head of Mission of Ireland in Liberia, said peace is stronger when women are involved in shaping it.

Bear said consultations with women peacebuilders in the counties helped inform the development of the plan, drawing on their experiences in mediating disputes, preventing violence and supporting their communities.

She said the next test would be financing and implementation, calling on the Liberian Government to incorporate the action plan into the national budget and county development priorities so that resources reach communities.

Bear also emphasized the importance of involving women and young people in leadership and ensuring accountability for the plan’s implementation.

Liberia’s Third National Action Plan covers the period 2026–2031 and builds on two previous plans covering 2009–2013 and 2019–2025.

Its implementation will require sustained commitment from government institutions, civil society, development partners and women’s groups to ensure that women’s participation in peacebuilding, security and decision-making is reflected in policies and development activities across the country.

The challenge now is to move the plan from commitment to action, with adequate resources and measurable results for women and girls in communities throughout Liberia.