Liberian Children Face Harsh Realities -Children Day’s Keynote Speaker Calls for Child-Friendly Justice System

By H Matthew Turry

MONROVIA – November 20 each year is celebrated globally as World Children’s Day, and UNICEF-Liberia on Wednesday joined the global community in commemorating the day which was held on the theme “Listen to the future. Stand up for children’s rights.”

Speaking at the ceremony at the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Ministerial Complex, the UNICEF-Liberia country Representative Andy Brooks said the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) calls for a child-friendly justice system but that in Liberia, children continue to face harsh realities within the legal system.

According him children in Liberia are often detained for months without trial in overcrowded prisons, at times mixed with adult prisoners, enduring poor health conditions, inadequate sanitation, malnutrition, and a lack of rehabilitation programs.

He said by investing training law enforcement and judiciary personnel, and implementing effective diversion programs can create a justice system that truly protects the rights of every child in Liberia.

Reflecting on Liberia journey on the ratification of some human rights instruments of the United Nations Convention, the UNICEF Country Rep. Said, “Some 35 years on from the adoption of the most universally ratified human rights Convention or Treaty in the world, the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), we reflect not only on the progress made in Liberia but also on the risks and opportunities ahead. Children make up nearly 42% of Liberia’s population so we would be advised to pay close attention to this year’s theme, “Listen to the future”; listen to the voices of its youngest citizens. 

“As the Government of Liberia closes in on the completion of its next five-year development plan, the ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development (AAID), we celebrate its alignment with the principles enshrined in the CRC, signed, and ratified by Liberia in 1990 and 1993 respectively and adopted into domestic legislation with the passing of the Child Act in 2011” he added.

 “As we reflect on progress and new frontiers for children in Liberia on World Children’s Day, we call for a set of measures that collectively can be transformative in the lives of Liberian children and can set an agenda for implementation within the AAID in the years to come,” the UNICEF Liberia boss indicated. 

He continued: “When I assumed my duties as UNICEF’s Representative in Liberia in February 2024, shortly after the elections, I expressed my honor to serve and my commitment to the promotion and protection of children’s rights in the country. I understood something of the unique challenges and opportunities facing children in Liberia from my previous experiences in the country towards the end of the civil war and during the Ebola pandemic and pledged to work closely with the government and partners to support them.”

The UNICEF Envoy told the gathering that after almost nine months in the job, there are some tangible signs of progress in key areas for children’s development with the launch of the “Back to my Classroom Campaign’ from the Ministry of Education, the launch of the Child Survival Strategy and Action Plan from the Ministry of Health and the initiative from the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection to reunify children living and working on the streets with their families.

“A core principle of the CRC is non-discrimination, ensuring every child, regardless of background, has access to opportunities,” he said, asserting that the AAID Agenda’s focus on inclusive economic growth and poverty reduction, particularly targeting children, youth, and marginalized groups, supports this commitment.

He further that reducing child poverty through targeted interventions and social protection measures is crucial to achieving the goals – programs aimed at increasing employment and educational access are at the core of creating the socio-economic conditions where all children can thrive.

“Health, nutrition, education, and a protective environment with access to clean water and improved hygiene and sanitation are critical to children’s survival and positive development,” he noted. “Prioritizing these areas, the AAID aligns with the CRC’s mandate to ensure that children’s best interests are a primary consideration in national development. Infrastructure improvements in healthcare and education and an investment in human capital in these sectors are critical steps towards improving both access to essential services and the quality of these services.”

According to Ambassador Brooks, the right to quality education is fundamental under the CRC and the AAID’s education reforms, including skills development and vocational training, are vital for equipping children with the tools they need to succeed.

Through the “Back to My Classroom” campaign—a joint initiative between the Ministry of Education and UNICEF—progress is underway to massively increase school enrolment and attendance rates over the next three years, he said. “Efforts to increase educational access, especially in underserved regions, demonstrate a commitment to providing every child with a fair start in life.”

The UNICEF-Liberia head call for strengthening of decentralized structures for efficient service delivery, linked to equitable evidence-informed policies to strengthen the capacity of school principals and teachers to provide quality education as children’s access progressively increases.

He further said the AAID’s healthcare initiatives aim to tackle high child mortality rates and malnutrition, addressing critical challenges that have long affected children’s survival and development.

“Expanding healthcare facilities and targeted efforts to combat malnutrition are necessary to ensure children can lead healthy lives. 

He also called for a dedicated budget allocation for nutrition and food security in the national budget to support the implementation of programs targeting children, including adolescents.

“Additionally, we advocate for the integration of comprehensive nutrition education into school curricula to promote healthy eating habits among children and adolescents from an early age. We strongly call for Health Equity for Every Child in Liberia.”

He emphasized that no child in Liberia should be left behind in accessing essential health services, especially those in hard-to-reach areas and underserved communities.

The UNICEF country Rep. call for Government’s investment from domestic funds for Community – based Primary Health Care (CBPHC), targeting a motivated community health workforce that is skilled, kitted, salaried and deployed, bringing health services closer to every child.

Anddy Brooks said immunization, including new vaccines like Measles-Rubella and malaria, saves live from vaccine-preventable diseases and strengthens the quality of care to reduce outbreaks such as measles and polio.

He called for collective action among government, donors, and civil society to guarantee children’s health rights through strengthened partnerships and commitments.

He noted that every child, regardless of their background, deserves a life free from violence, exploitation, and abuse. 

“As the just ended First Global Ministerial Conference on Ending Violence Against Children in Colombia underscored, attended by senior representatives from the Liberian Ministry of Justice and Gender, it is imperative to strengthen child protection systems, with enough trained social workers alongside care and protection services, to address pressing issues like child labor, exploitation, violence and abuse, including online child sexual exploitation,” he added. 

He said that the government’s investment in birth registration is a critical step towards safeguarding children’s rights, as it provides children with a legal identity and access to vital services, including protection from harm.

“Liberia has made remarkable progress in providing birth registration for children under 5, moving from 4% in 2007 to the current level of 66%,” he noted.

He told the gathering by say, “While celebrating “World Toilet Day” on November 19, 2024, my attention turned to the need to prioritize investments in Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) services.

He noted that investing in WASH infrastructure, promoting hygiene education, and supporting community-led initiatives, will significantly improve the health, well-being, and education of millions of Liberian children.

He said preventing waterborne diseases, malnutrition, and school absenteeism will ensure that every child can reach their full potential.

“There is an urgent need to finalize and endorse the Open Defecation Free (ODF) Roadmap and WASH Compact, as part of the Head of State Initiative and global leadership agenda for WASH,” he noted.

He concluded by saying, these critical documents will provide a clear roadmap to universal access to safe water and sanitation and guide our collective efforts to eliminate open defecation and we are proud to be part of a collective action with partners to have these signed and adopted by World Water Day in March 2025.

For his part the Deputy Gender Minister for Administration Frederick S. Cooper said the Importance of listening to children is more than an act of kindness, and an investment in their confidence, creativity, and critical thinking.

“We empower children to believe in their potential and encourage them think boldly about solutions to the challenges we face as a society. We strengthen the bonds of trust, ensuring that children know their voices matter in shaping their families, communities, and the world. Giving the role of the government,” the deputy Gender minister said. “As a government, we are steadfast in our commitment to advancing the rights and well-being of children.

“As we reflect on the anniversary of the convention on the Rights of the Child, we reaffirm our dedication to creating spaces where children can thrive-through quality education, healthcare,” Mr. Cooper said.