Monrovia- The morning sun cast a golden glow over Monrovia as hundreds of people gathered at the Ministerial Complex. Banners waved in the wind, each one boldly displaying the words: “For ALL Women and Girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment.”
Monrovia– The morning sun cast a golden glow over Monrovia as hundreds of people gathered at the Ministerial Complex. Banners waved in the wind, each one boldly displaying the words: “For ALL Women and Girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment.”
It was International Women’s Day 2025, a day that held deep meaning for the women of Liberia.
Among the crowd stood Martha, a 19-year-old college student, her heart pounding with excitement.
She had grown up in a small village where girls were often told they belonged in the kitchen, not in classrooms. But today, she stood among strong, determined women who believed in change.
At the front of the stage, Gbeme Horace-Kollie, the Minister of Gender, Children & Social Protection, took the microphone. Her voice was steady, filled with passion.
She said: “This year marks 30 years since the Beijing Declaration-a promise to women and girls around the world. But here in Liberia, the fight is not over. Every day, our sisters, daughters, and mothers face violence and discrimination. This must end. We must act, and we must act now!”
The crowd erupted in applause. Among them was Mama Yatta, a 52-year-old market woman who had once been a victim of domestic violence. She had survived, and today, she had come to stand as a voice for the many women who still suffered in silence.
Then came the keynote speaker, Cllr. Tonieh Talery Wiles, a woman whose life had been shaped by the historic Beijing Conference in 1995. She had been there, sitting among thousands of women who had demanded action. Now, three decades later, she reminded the people of Liberia that the fight was not over.
“Back then, we dreamed of a world where women were safe, where girls could go to school without fear, where no woman was left behind. But dreams are not enough. We must make them real.”
Martha listens, her hands clenched into fists. She thought about her younger sister, Bendu, who had once been denied the right to an education because her family couldn’t afford school fees. She thought about her best friend, Sarah, who had been forced into marriage at just 16. This event was more than just speeches-it was a call to action.
As the program continued, voices from different backgrounds rose in unity. Government officials, civil society leaders, and international partners pledged to fight gender-based violence, enforce the law, and create opportunities for women in Liberia.
But the real change, Martha realized, would not come from promises alone. It would come from people like her-young women who refused to be silenced, mothers who fought for their daughters, men who stood beside them in solidarity.
As the event ended, Martha stepped forward, her voice trembling but strong. “We are the future. We won’t wait for change. We will create it!”
A new dawn had come for women in Liberia. The road ahead would not be easy, but one thing was certain: they would walk it together, for ALL women and girls.
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