MONROVIA – Liberia marks the International Day of Education and a teenage, all-female advocacy group, has publicly weighed in on one of the most closely watched indicators of inclusive governance—gender representation in national leadership. The Girls Alliance for Future Leadership says it is encouraged by what it describes as deliberate efforts by President Joseph Nyuma Boakai to mainstream gender equality within his administration. Pointing to cabinet-level appointments and recent nominations, the group argues that the current government has taken measurable steps toward women’s inclusion in public service. While commending progress made, the organization also issues a cautionary note: that gains in representation must be matched by deeper engagement with Liberia’s youthful population, particularly girls, if national development is to be sustained. THE ANALYST reports.
The Girls Alliance for Future Leadership, a teenage-based female advocacy group, has expressed confidence in President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s ability to advance gender mainstreaming within his administration.
In a statement issued Thursday to commemorate the International Day of Education, the organization said it is optimistic that the President is taking concrete steps to ensure balanced representation of women and men in public service.
According to the group’s Secretary General, Kadiatu Bah, women currently make up about 40 percent of President Boakai’s Cabinet, with seven women occupying top ministerial positions. These include Minister of Foreign Affairs Sara Beysolow Nyanti; Minister of National Defense, Brigadier General (Retired) Geraldine Janet George; Minister of Health Dr. Louise Kpoto; Minister of Commerce and Industry Magdalene Dagoseh; Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection Mrs. Gbeme Horace Kollie; Minister of Education Dr. Jarso Maley Jallah; and the recent nomination of Attorney Cornelia W. Kruah as Minister of Youth and Sports.
Bah noted that the level of female representation reflects progress toward global gender equality benchmarks, adding that the President’s appointments align with the third goal of the Millennium Development Goals, which focuses on promoting gender equality and empowering women.
“Gender mainstreaming is not just symbolic; it is a strategic approach to ensuring that women and girls are fully considered in the design, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of policies and programs,” Bah said.
She further stated that President Boakai’s leadership has inspired Liberian girls, particularly young women seeking greater inclusion in national decision-making. “We fully recognize the President’s professed commitment to girls’ and women’s empowerment,” she added.
However, the Girls Alliance also challenged the President to go beyond appointments by encouraging cabinet officials to engage more directly with Liberia’s youth population, especially girls. Bah warned that many public institutions remain inaccessible to young people, a situation she said could undermine long-term development.
“Rapid development without constructive youth engagement risks instability,” she cautioned, urging the President to establish a neutral, apolitical platform for dialogue with young people across the country.
Bah observed that much of the frustration among youths—particularly in Monrovia—centers on employment and opportunity. She argued that young people are more likely to exercise patience and tolerance if they feel heard and included in national conversations.
“An unengaged youth population becomes an easy tool in the hands of mischievous politicians,” she warned.
The International Day of Education was established by a United Nations resolution on December 8, 2018, affirming education as a human right, a public good, and a shared public responsibility. This year’s observance focuses on youth as agents of change in advancing inclusive, equitable education and building peaceful, just societies.
Founded in 2010 by eighth-grade students at the William Lee Booner School, the Girls Alliance for Future Leadership draws inspiration from the presidency of Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and continues to advocate for the empowerment of girls through leadership and education.