Liberia Kicks Off 2025 World Children's Day with Accountability Focus

The Government Department for Gender, Children, and Social Welfare has formally initiated nationwide events celebrating the 2025 World Child...

The Government Department for Gender, Children, and Social Welfare has formally initiated nationwide events celebrating the 2025 World Children's Day, reinforcing Liberia's dedication to ensuring and safeguarding the rights of all children.

World Children's Day is celebrated every year on November 20, honoring the 1989 signing of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which is the most universally accepted human rights agreement. This year's global focus is "My Day, My Right," while Liberia is observing the event with the national theme "Living With Dignity, Every Moment, Every Right."

At the event, Deputy Minister for Children and Social Protection Garmai Tokpah mentioned that the 2025 observance will emphasize accountability, after a year of youth-driven advocacy that united young individuals, government departments, international partners, and community-based groups.

"This serves as a call to action for listening to children, reinforcing safeguarding systems, and turning pledges into tangible outcomes," the minister stated.

She stated that the Liberia National Children's Forum, in collaboration with the ministry, UNICEF, and the Child Protection Network, will organize structured discussions throughout the country to assess advancements in pledges made during the 2024 World Children's Day and the 2025 Day of the African Child.

As stated by Mme. Tokpah, the event seeks to make duty holders responsible for their child protection promises, enable children to interact with decision-makers, push for higher government funding for education, health, online safety, and safeguarding, and promote better enforcement of the Children's Law from 2011.

The government also intends to increase availability of birth registration, immunization, disability assessment, and HPV vaccines, while encouraging children to lead environmental projects.

Nationwide Activities

The seven-day event will take place between November 13 and 20, 2025, including radio discussions, a Children's Parliamentary Session, clean-up activities in schools and communities, a national children's health fair, and a discussion forum with experienced child rights professionals.

Madame Tokpah mentioned that the event will capitalize on the progress made by the Save the Future Project, previously called the National Street Children Project, which seeks to help children living on the streets return to society and offer economic assistance to their caregivers.

Currently, 13,591 children have gained from the initiative, 3,405 have started attending school, and 1,164 caregivers have obtained business grants and additional types of support for their means of living, as per the ministry's statistics.

The deputy minister mentioned that the government is collaborating with the Ministries of Justice and Labor, along with local authorities in Monrovia and Paynesville, to develop a unified policy structure designed to eradicate dangerous child labor and street activities in line with the Children's Law.

Progress and Persistent Challenges

Although there have been significant advances in child protection, Tokpah recognized ongoing difficulties in fields like financial support, implementation, and education.

"Together, we can create a Liberia where each child flourishes — experiencing respect and every right in every moment," she stated.

Madame Tokpah thanked the ministry's partners, such as UNICEF, Save the Children, Street Child Liberia, GiveDirectly, SOS Children's Village, the Child Protection Network, school officials, and ministry employees for their continuous cooperation and assistance.

She emphasized that the ministry's objective goes beyond honoring children, aiming instead to make sure Liberia's policies and initiatives result in real, positive changes in their lives.

Children are not the leaders of tomorrow — they are citizens right now," Tokpah stated. "It is our duty to create a safe, supportive, and encouraging environment for Liberia's children at this very moment.

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