Monrovia, Liberia - The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection applauds H.E. Dr. George Manneh Weah, President of the Republic of Liberia, for signing into law the Domestic Violence Act, a legal instrument that seeks to abolish all forms of violence meted against women, children and men.

The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, through the Liberia Safety Net Project(LSSN), is implementing a cash transfer program that is financed by the World Bank.

Monrovia, Liberia - The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection has applauded SHE-CAN - a US-based International Humanitarian Organization for providing a fully-funded International tertiary scholarship to young Liberian females scholars.

Honorable Parleh D. Harris, Deputy Minister for Administration was born on May 31, 1958.

She holds a Master of Arts degree in Conflict Transformation from the Kofi Annan Institute for Conflict Transformation, University of Liberia (2019). She has earned Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree, Sociology, University of Liberia, 2000-2001 and an Associate of Arts (AA) Secretarial Science, College of West Africa Junior College Program of Business, (CWA)- 1985 as well as a Certificates in Microfinance Foundation Course, Cuttington Graduate School,-2009; ECOWAS Gender and Election Strategy Framework, Liberia, 2017; M&E Result Based Management Framework, Monrovia, Liberia, 2013; Mediator, WAPNET, Abuja, Nigeria, 2013; ILO Gender Facilitator, Turin Italy, 2007; African Female Capacity Building, Fuji, Peoples, Republic of China, 2006; Gender Training Manual, ECOWAS, Dakar Senegal, 2006; Training of Trainers, Foundation for African Future leaders, Mindolo, Ecumenical Foundation, Kitwe, Zimbabwe, 2005; United Nations Development Fund for Women Gender & Capacity Building-2005; General Management Course, Liberia Institute of Public Administration-2004 and Implementation and reporting under the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW).

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

1. Deputy Minister for Administration, Present
2. Director, Women’s Empowerment Division 2006-2018; Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection
3. Planning Officer: 2003-2005; Ministry of Gender and Development, Republic Of Liberia
4. Office Manager, Finance Officer: 1997-2002; House of Representatives, Capitol Building;
5. House of Representatives, Capitol Building: Secretary, Sinoe County Office, Administrative Assistant, Nimba County Office and Special Assistant, Grand Bassa County Office respectively.

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATION

Monrovia. Liberia - The Ministry of Gender, Children & Social Protection (MGCSP) has identified with several women inmates currently being held at the Kakata central prison and the South Beach (Monrovia Central Prison).

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The Office of the Minister is responsible to provide overall policy and strategic direction and guidance for the ministry

The duties of the Minister shall be as follows:

• Advise the President on gender, children and social protection issues;
• Under authority and powers delegated to him/her by the President, provide executive oversight of gender, children and social protection issues;
• Regulate and provide policy directions and guidelines for the operation of orphanages and children’s homes, foster and alternative care programs;
• Provide effective leadership to the Ministry, including evolving a vision and developing core values consistent with the mandate of the Ministry;
• Prepare and defend the Ministry’s annual program and its related expenditure budget proposals;
• Develop the human resources of the Ministry to enable workers to implement their functions effectively and efficiently;
• Mobilize external resources, in consultation and collaboration with the relevant government institutions, to augment technical and financial resources annually available to the Ministry;
• Submit to the President and the Legislature, not later than 30 days at the end of each calendar year, an Annual Report of the activities and operations of the Ministry during the preceding year;
• Perform such other duties that are incidental to being a Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection; and
• Perform duties the President may, from time to time, assign to the Office of the Minister.

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Madam Mamensie Fomba Kabba is the Assistant Minister for Administration at the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection. She comes with a strong political and social justice advocacy background. She has provided extraordinary leadership as a political and social justice advocate; excellently articulating the fundamentals of human rights and equal justice, women empowerment & political leadership and communicating her party’s manifesto and vision of peace & prosperity to both national and international audiences.

She is an enterprising and reputable young Liberian politician with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and minor in Political Science, (Magna Cum Laude) from the African Methodist Episcopal University in Liberia, with Certificates in other areas of disciplines. Hon. Kabba has given public lectures and held debates at many public forums and served as keynote - speaker and guest presenter at many auspicious occasions inspiring the young generation of her country. She offers hope, peace, and prosperity for the country through her public lectures and dialogues. She strongly believes the future of her country rests with a prepared young generation. Her interest is in International Relations and community development.

Madam Kabba is keen on growing in her role as Assistant Minister for Administration; eager to help the Ministry accomplishes its goals and Strategic Plans aimed at ultimately helping President Weah deliver on his “Pro-poor” Agenda for prosperity and development. Inspired by her calling to advocacy for gender equality and social justice for all, Madam Kabba embarked on the struggle during the regime of Former President Sirleaf holding government and other state actors to respect and protect women’s and children’s rights. The famous ‘Bring Back our Girls Campaign’ was launched with her fullest participation as head of a group under the banner “Concerned Liberians” for the government to act fast in rescuing the girls who were trafficked to Lebanon for economic motive (prostitution, sex-workers) by some foreign businessmen. This campaign pushed and compelled the government’s quick action by ensuring that the girls were brought back. Fair treatment, rehabilitation, and family re-integration were Madam Kabba’s sustained debate.

On account of her party’s ideology and vision for the country, she championed the call for her political leader, Excellency George Manneh Weah, to contest the 2014 Midterm elections. She upheld the debate and struggle throughout the tranches of Montserrad o County thus marketing the vision for the County. The platform included; Education, Women Empowerment, and Skill Training for vulnerable people and the passage of laws in the interest of the people mainly for community development. Her debate made sense and her leader was elected Senator of the County.

Madam Kabba delivered the Conventional Speech at the official collaboration of the Congress for Democratic Change, National Patriotic Party and the Liberia People Democratic Party which formed the RULING Coalition for Democratic Change. Her inspiring speech stimulated the spirit of partisans and energized them into campaign mood in readiness for the 2017 Presidential Election. Her courage and commitment to the struggle motivated the Governing Council and the Standard bearer of the Coalition selection of her to delivery said conventional address.

The Department for Administration is responsible for the provision of the required support services for the implementation of the Ministry’s programs and the achievement of results.
The Deputy Minister for Administration, under the direction of the Minister, shall have oversight of the Ministry’s support services to the Office of the Minister, the departments and program activities to ensure the efficient and effective implementation of the mandate and functions of the Ministry. The duties of the Deputy Minister for Administration shall be as follows:

• Administer the Ministry’s financial management system, including budgeting, petty cash management, financial accounting and reporting, and internal and external audits, ensuring that they are consistent with the Public Financial Management law and regulations;
• Administer the Ministry’s human resource management system, including recruiting, selecting, training, and retention, ensuring that they are consistent with civil service law, policies and regulations;
• Administer the Ministry’s procurement of goods, supplies, works and consulting services, ensuring that they are consistent with the laws and regulations of the Public Procurement and Concessions Commission;
• Manage the Ministry’s general services, such as warehousing and accessing of goods and supplies; transportation and communication; power and water systems; and security and maintenance, ensuring that they are consistent with policies and regulations of the General Services Agency;
• Perform such other duties that are incidental to being the Deputy Minister for Administration of the Ministry; and
• Perform duties the Minister may, from time to time, assign to the Office of Deputy Minister for Administration.

Lydia-Mai Sherman is a professional Social Worker with over 25 years of experience. She has a Masters in Social Work and Policy at Howard University and a Bachelors in Psychology and Social Work from University of Maryland, Baltimore County. She worked as a Mental Health Counselor in the United States for over 10 years.

She returned home in 2007 and worked with the SES program as a Consultant to Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (Now Ministry of Health) and the Ministry of Gender and Development (Now Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection). She was then appointed Deputy Minister for Children and Social Protection in 2014. Passionate about children, old folks and people living with disabilities, her current position is a natural fit.

The department for Children and Social Protection is responsible for policies and programs targeted at children, the physically challenged, elderly, marginalized, the vulnerable, disadvantaged and excluded groups;
The Deputy Minister for Children and Social Protection, under the direction of the Minister, shall have responsibility for the management of the Ministry’s functions and activities and provide leadership to the development of its policies and programs. The duties of the Deputy Minister for Children and Social Protection shall be as follows:

• Manage the Ministry’s children and social protection functions and activities;
• Advise the Minister on children and social protection issues;
• Provide leadership in the development of policies, strategies, and guidelines on children and social protection issues;
• Provide leadership in developing and coordinating the implementation of national programs that attend to the issues related to extremely poor families, children, vulnerable, disabled, elderly, excluded and marginalized groups;
•  Provide leadership in identifying, locating and reaching children, vulnerable, disabled, elderly, excluded and marginalized groups;
•  Coordinate the preparation of reports required by national and international bodies and treaties on children, vulnerable, disabled, elderly, excluded and marginalized groups;
• Lead advocacy on the rights of children, vulnerable, disabled, elderly, excluded and marginalized groups;
• Prepare and implement information, education and communication (IEC) national programs on children, vulnerable, disabled, elderly, excluded and marginalized groups;
• Foster the development of children and social protection community-based groups;
• Regulate the operations of orphanages, children homes, foster and alternative care and the adoption of children;
• Develop guidelines on standards of care and operations for rehabilitation institutions;
• Assist the Minister to regulate and provide policy guidelines for the operations of orphanages and children’s homes, foster and alternative care programs
• Perform such other duties that are incidental to being the Deputy Minister for Children and Social Protection; and
• Perform duties the Minister may, from time to time, assign to the Office of Deputy Minister for Children and Social Protection.

Hassan Karneh

The department for Research, Policy and Planning is responsible for the research, policies and regulations development, and program planning, as well as monitoring and evaluation functions of the ministry;

The Deputy Minister for Research, Policy, and Planning, under the direction of the Minister, shall have oversight of the Ministry’s activities in the domains of research, policy formulation, and development planning, as well as monitoring and evaluation.

The duties of the Deputy Minister for Research, Policy and Planning shall be to:

• Manage the research function and activities of the Ministry;
• Advise the Minister on gender, children and social protection research, policy and planning issues;

• Manage policy making, regulations and guidelines development activities of the Ministry, including the national gender policy and plans, the national children and social protection policy and plans, and a framework for gender mainstreaming;

• Provide support to the Deputy Minister for Administration in the preparation of the Ministry’s budget;

• Manage the institutional planning and programming activities of the Ministry;

• Develop and maintain a bank of relevant data and information on gender, children and social protection activities within the country;
• Establish and maintain an effective and efficient gender, children and social protection management information system;

• Manage the Ministry’s monitoring and evaluation system and program, ensuring they synchronize with the Governance Commission’s governance monitoring and evaluation system and adhere to national laws, policies and regulations;

• Develop and implement frameworks for monitoring the implementation of the National Gender Policy by other ministries and/or agencies; conduct research on topical issues of interest on gender, children and social protection; conduct surveys on impacts of policies on women, children and marginalized groups; develop and implement frameworks for monitoring and evaluating children and social protection programs; prepare gender, children and social protection policy impact reports;

• Coordinate the preparation of the Ministry’s Annual Report to the President and Legislature;

• Assist the Minister coordinate donor relations of the Ministry, including preparing and following-up on project proposals to access external resources to assist the Ministry;

• Perform such other duties that are incidental to being the Deputy Minister of Research, Policy and Planning; and

Perform duties the Minister may, from time to time, assign to the Office of Deputy Minister for Research, Policy and Planning.

The department for Gender is responsible for women’s and adolescent girls’ issues, policies and programs
The Deputy Minister for Gender, under the direction of the Minister, shall have the responsibility for ensuring the mainstreaming of gender issues, policies, and programs, particularly as they relate to women and children, in all public institutions. The duties of the Deputy Minister for Gender shall be as follows:

• Manage the Ministry’s gender function and activities;
• Advise the Minister on gender and adolescent girls’ issues;
• Design, develop and implement frameworks for mainstreaming women and adolescent girls in the work of ministries, agencies, commissions and all other public institutions;
  Design, develop and implement frameworks that ensure compliance with human rights issues and instruments relating to women and adolescent girls;
• Provide leadership in the review of laws and legislation to ensure their conformity to international agreements relative to women and adolescent girls;
• Participate in the formulation of policies, regulations, and guidelines on the management of gender based violence;
• Coordinate the preparation of reports required by national and international bodies and treaties on gender issues, including the state of women and adolescent girls report;
• Lead advocacy on women’s and adolescent girls’ issues by developing and implementing a framework for the promotion of women’s and adolescent girls’ rights, including the empowerment of women, and the protection and development of children;
• Prepare and implement national information, education and communication (IEC) programs on women and adolescent girls;
• Perform such other duties that are incidental to being the Deputy Minister for Gender; and
   Perform duties the Minister may, from time to time, assign to the Office of the Deputy Minister for Gender.

The organizational structure of the Ministry shall be as follows:

a) Office of the Minister; which shall provide overall policy and strategic direction and guidance to the ministry

b) Department for Research, Policy, and Planning, which shall be responsible for the research, policies and regulations development, and program planning, as well as monitoring and evaluation functions of the ministry;

c) Department for Gender, which shall be responsible for women’s and adolescent girls’ issues, policies and programs;

d) Department for Children and Social Protection, which shall be responsible for policies and programs targeted at children, the physically challenged, elderly, marginalized, the vulnerable, disadvantaged and excluded groups; and

Madam Vice President and President of the Senate, Mr. Speaker, Mr. President Pro-Tempore and Honorable Members of the 54th Legislature:

Monrovia, Liberia - The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection has congratulated the Lonestar Female Under 20 Team for an exceptional performance against their Guinean counterparts.

Monrovia, Liberia - The Ambassador of the Republic of Poland accredited near Monrovia, Joanna Tarnaska, on Monday, January 21, 2020, paid a courtesy visit to the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection.

Monrovia, Liberia - The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection has applauded SHE-CAN - a US-based International Humanitarian Organization for providing a fully-funded International tertiary scholarship to young Liberian females scholars.

Monrovia, Liberia - The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection has swiftly come to the aid of survivors of a dreadful fire disaster that attended the 'Love A Child' Orphanage Home.

The Ministry of Gender Children and Social Protection seize this unique opportunity as we have been ushered in 2020 to recommit, reinforce, and reaffirm its mandate to protecting, promoting, developing, and empowering women and girls as well as integrating persons with disabilities, the vulnerable, the elderly and the extremely poor.

The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MGCSP) has congratulated the National Peace Hut
Women of Liberia for winning the United Nations Population Fund Institutional category Award.