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Sju leende kvinnor i Liberia

Liberia

Liberia is a small West African country with about 4 million inhabitants. RFSU supports the Liberian movement for sexual and reproductive health and rights.

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In more recent decades, Liberia has experienced both civil war and Ebola outbreaks but is now recovering. Close to 40% of the country's population are adolescents and youths aged 10-24.

Liberia still does not have a law against female genital mutilation, and four out of ten women live with the consequences. Despite growing opposition to the procedure, it has been difficult to push for change.

The maternal mortality ratio is among the highest in the world, largely due to unsafe abortions. Abortion is only permitted under certain circumstances, which makes it very hard to access a safe abortion. 

LGBTQ people often need to hide their sexual identity to avoid stigma and discrimination. There are no laws to protect the rights of LGBTQ persons and sexual acts between men are prohibited.

Rural Women and Girls Rights Foundation shares information on safe abortions in the marketplace in Bong, north Liberia.

RFSU in Liberia

In 2022, RFSU established its local office to support the Liberian movement for sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). RFSU works closely with local stakeholders, providing training, managing local grants, and serving as an advocacy secretariat to drive change.

Kulah Barbor and Mary S. Wiah are members of WPWHDO, an organisation based in one of Liberia's poorest and most densely populated areas, West Point. With support from RFSU, they work against female genital mutilation, among other things.

Amplify Rights Network 

Ten civil society organisations in the Amplify Rights Network have combined forces to advocate for SRHR. RFSU coordinates this work. The organisations bring diverse perspectives to the network, like disability rights, youth representation, HIV, LGBTQ+ rights, and women's participation.  In 2023, ARN arranged the country's first SRHR conference with 700 participants, including the former vice president, the UN's special rapporteur on health, and a group of young activists from civil society.

In 2023, Liberia hosted its first-ever conference and march on sexual and reproductive health and rights. 700 individuals attended.

Partner organisations in Liberia

The Community Healthcare Initiative (CHI)

CHI engages in advocacy work and operates a clinic. Additionally, a mobile clinic visits neighbouring villages to reach vulnerable groups. With RFSU funding, CHI offers sexuality education in the villages and raises awareness of safe abortions. CHI also advocates for lawmakers to be more aware of menstrual health. Today, the high taxes make it hard to access sanitary pads.

Naomi Solanke is the founder and executive director at Community Healthcare Initiative.

West Point Women for Health and Development organization (WPWHDO)

WPWHDO operates in one of Liberia's poorest and most densely populated areas, West Point. WPWHDO's primary focus is addressing issues related to sexual and gender-based violence. With funding from RFSU, the organisation works on sexuality education, female genital mutilation, and abortion-related issues in the local communities.

Grace T Jerbo and Beatrice L Karbah at WPWHDO oversee two girls' school clubs. Grace shares her best tips for creating a positive atmosphere: "I use my social skills to make the girls feel comfortable. They have my number so they can contact me whenever they want, even in the evenings. The most common question I get is about contraceptives."

Rural Women and Girls Rights Foundation (RWGRF)

RWGRF is a grassroots organisation operating in Bong County, a rural area in the north of Liberia. With funding from RFSU, they conduct awareness-raising activities on sexuality education, female genital mutilation, and abortion.

It's difficult to access safe abortions in Liberia. Girls and women risk their lives and health by resorting to unsafe abortions. Here, Kou N. Massadee at RWGRF shows a twig from a certain tree, which is used as a local and dangerous method to end a pregnancy.