WONGOSOL Responds to Gaps in the 2025 State of the Nation Address: A Call for Gender-Inclusive Development

Monrovia Liberia: The Women NGOs Secretariat of Liberia (WONGOSOL) extends its recognition to His Excellency President Joseph Nyuma Boakai for his annual State of the Nation Address delivered on January 27, 2025. This address is an essential constitutional exercise that helps chart Liberia’s developmental path and reflects on our collective national aspirations.

As an organization dedicated to advancing gender equality, women’s rights, and social justice, WONGOSOL acknowledges the President’s efforts in addressing Liberia’s socioeconomic challenges. However, we believe there were critical gaps in the address—particularly from a gender perspective—that must be addressed for true national progress. Moreover, we are concerned about the absence of recognition for Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), which have long been instrumental in creating meaningful change across Liberia, impacting the lives of ordinary Liberians in alignment with the shared national agenda.

The President’s focus on economic revitalization and job creation is commendable, but the address failed to integrate a gender-responsive approach to these vital goals. Women, who make up a significant portion of Liberia’s informal workforce and are the backbone of the agricultural sector, were not specifically recognized in the proposed economic strategies. WONGOSOL calls for intentional policies that ensure women’s equitable access to resources, financing, and capacity-building opportunities, particularly in agriculture, small businesses, and entrepreneurship. We urge the government to address structural barriers that limit women’s participation in the formal economy, such as discriminatory practices, lack of childcare, and unequal pay.

While the government’s commitment to improving education and healthcare is laudable, these sectors cannot achieve true equity without addressing the specific barriers faced by women and girls. In education, girls, especially in rural areas, continue to face significant challenges including early marriage, lack of menstrual hygiene management, and unsafe school environments. These issues require focused and gender-sensitive interventions. In healthcare, maternal and reproductive health services remain underfunded and inaccessible, especially in remote regions. WONGOSOL calls for enhanced focus on these essential services.

WONGOSOL recognizes and supports the government’s commitment to peace and security, but we stress that these efforts must be inclusive of women. Women are disproportionately affected by insecurity, yet they remain underrepresented in peacebuilding and conflict resolution processes. We call for the full implementation of Liberia’s National Action Plan on UN Security Council Resolution 1325, ensuring that women are actively involved in leadership and decision-making roles at all levels.

While the prevalence of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) remains one of the most pressing issues facing women and girls in Liberia, the President’s address did not adequately emphasize the urgency of tackling this crisis. WONGOSOL urges the government to scale up efforts to prevent GBV, strengthen survivor support services, and improve justice mechanisms for victims. Adequate funding for the implementation of the Domestic Violence Act and the Rape Law is essential for meaningful progress.

WONGOSOL is deeply concerned by the lack of acknowledgment for the contributions of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), including those like ours, that have been at the forefront of advocating for social justice, holding the government accountable, and providing vital services to marginalized communities. CSOs are essential partners in empowering women, combating GBV, and promoting inclusive governance.

Their tireless work must be recognized, and the government should actively engage with CSOs to strengthen national development efforts. We call for more collaboration between the government and CSOs, including the allocation of resources to support these organizations’ initiatives and creating platforms for meaningful dialogue.

To ensure that Liberia’s development is inclusive and sustainable, WONGOSOL urges the government to take the following steps: mainstream gender into all national policies and programs to address systemic inequalities and ensure that women’s needs and perspectives are prioritized; allocate at least 30% of national resources to initiatives directly benefiting women and girls; recognize and support the contributions of CSOs by fostering partnerships, providing funding, and strengthening their work in the community; and establish mechanisms to monitor and evaluate progress on gender equality commitments, ensuring accountability and transparency.

WONGOSOL reaffirms its commitment to working alongside the government, development partners, and all stakeholders to build a Liberia where gender equality lies at the core of our development. By acknowledging the pivotal roles of women and Civil Society Organizations, we can move closer to realizing the inclusive and sustainable growth envisioned in the President’s address. Together, we can build a Liberia where women’s voices are heard, their contributions are recognized, and their rights are respected—ultimately leading to a stronger, more equitable nation for all.