Monrovia, Liberia —The Women's NGO Secretariat of Liberia (WONGOSOL) is calling on the government to provide dedicated and sustained funding for the implementation of Liberia's Third National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security, warning that the country's commitments must translate into measurable improvements in the lives of women and girls.

WONGOSOL Executive Director Esther Yango said inadequate funding, weak institutional coordination, limited accountability, and insufficient support for grassroots women peacebuilders remain major challenges to advancing the women's peace and security agenda.

Speaking at the launch of the Third National Action Plan, Yango urged the government to demonstrate stronger political commitment through adequate national budgetary allocations, rather than relying primarily on financial support from international development partners.

"The women's peace and security agenda cannot continue to be dependent primarily on development partner funding," Yango said, calling for the plan's priorities to be integrated into national and sectoral budgets as well as Liberia's development plans.

She said the new action plan provides an opportunity to assess the achievements and shortcomings of the previous two plans and determine what needs to change to ensure commitments produce tangible results.

Yango also drew attention to the needs of women who survived Liberia's civil war, noting that many continue to suffer from physical injuries, psychological trauma, and other health complications without adequate medical treatment and psychosocial support.

" We cannot speak of sustainable peace and justice while women who endured the horrors of our civil war continue to suffer in silence," she said.

She called for medical care, rehabilitation, psychosocial support, and survivor-centered reparations to form part of Liberia's transitional justice commitments.

On legal protection, the WONGOSOL Executive Director urged the National Legislature to prioritize the consideration and passage of critical legislation, including the proposed Women and Girls Protection Act, to address violence, discrimination, and other barriers affecting women's rights and safety.

With Liberia preparing for the 2029 general elections, Yango also raised concerns about women's limited representation in political leadership, intimidation and violence against women in politics, restricted access to campaign financing, and discriminatory practices within political parties.

She called for electoral and political party reforms that would provide stronger protection for women candidates and voters while creating more opportunities for women to participate in political leadership.

"Women must not only be mobilized as voters during elections; they must be supported as candidates, political leaders and decision makers," she emphasized.

Yango said the Third National Action Plan should strengthen women's leadership, conflict prevention, security governance, and participation in national development, while ensuring that rural women, young women, women with disabilities, and survivors are not excluded.

She reaffirmed WONGOSOL's commitment, alongside its members, to supporting the implementation and monitoring of the plan and promoting accountability.

Yango stressed that the success of the action plan should not be judged by the launch ceremony or commitments made, but by the resources government provides and the results achieved for women and girls across Liberia.