The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MGCSP), through its Department of Children and Social Protection, in collaboration with the Ministries of Education and Health, UNICEF, and other partners, on Monday, November 9, convened a stakeholdersโ engagement to assess Liberiaโs progress toward ending violence against children by 2030.
The engagement comes ahead of the Second Global Ministerial Conference on Ending Violence Against Children and builds on Liberiaโs commitment made during the First Global Ministerial Conference, held in Bogotรก, Colombia, in 2024, where participating countries pledged to strengthen national efforts and accelerate actions aimed at protecting children from all forms of violence, abuse, exploitation, and neglect.
The one-day engagement provided an opportunity for stakeholders to take stock of progress made in fulfilling Liberiaโs commitments, identify existing gaps, and discuss practical measures to accelerate implementation. Key areas of focus included strengthening child protection laws and policies, improving access to essential social services, expanding mental health and psychosocial support for children affected by violence, strengthening data collection and management systems, and enhancing coordination among institutions and partners responsible for child protection.
The gathering also underscored the importance of a coordinated, multi-sectoral approach in addressing violence against children, recognizing that the protection and well-being of children require sustained collaboration among government institutions, development partners, civil society organizations, and other relevant stakeholders.
Setting the stage for the engagement, Alfreda Jacob, Technical Assistant to the Deputy Minister for Children and Social Protection, provided an overview of the meeting, highlighting Liberiaโs commitments, the progress recorded, and ongoing national efforts to safeguard children from all forms of violence. She emphasized the importance of reviewing existing interventions, identifying implementation challenges, and strengthening collective action to ensure that commitments translate into meaningful protection and improved outcomes for children.
The engagement further provided a platform for stakeholders to share experiences, examine ongoing interventions, and identify priority actions that will help strengthen Liberiaโs child protection systems and advance the country’s goal of ending violence against children by 2030.
