Warns Gov’t Against Fear, Division, Attacks On Women’s Rights
Monrovia, Liberia – Human rights activists, feminist movements, student leaders, and youth organizations in Liberia have united to publicly denounce what they see as a “dangerous anti-rights agenda” that endangers women, youth, and vulnerable populations throughout the country.
In a strongly worded statement released in Monrovia on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, Jile Z. Tawhy, speaking on behalf of Books Before Boys, accused some groups and foreign-backed ideological movements of exploiting the language of “family protection” and morality to incite fear, discrimination, and social division while ignoring the nation’s actual problems, such as poverty, rape, maternal deaths, unemployment, and inadequate healthcare systems.
She stated that Liberia should not adopt the “harmful pattern” that has been seen in a number of West African nations, where anti-rights campaigns have targeted human rights advocates, women’s rights organizations, and sexual and reproductive health programs. Tawhy cited concerning data from the Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection, pointing out that 1,735 rape cases were reported in the first three quarters of 2025 and 3,381 cases of gender-based violence were reported in Liberia in 2024, with women and girls accounting for 85% of survivors.
Furthermore, she contended that poverty, violence, unsafe healthcare, adolescent pregnancy, lack of education, and financial difficulty are destroying Liberian families rather than rights activism. “No woman should lose her life because lifesaving healthcare is inaccessible, adding that girls deserve the chance to remain in school and young people must have access to accurate information, mentorship, mental health support, and economic opportunities,” she said.
Tawhy expressed concern about the increasing impact of transnational anti-rights networks throughout Africa, citing campaigns in Ghana, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, and Côte d’Ivoire that allegedly used religion and culture to oppose reproductive rights and gender equality. The rhetoric of international conservative organizations, such as remarks made by Family Watch International President Sharon Slater at the 2023 Families Conference, which allegedly characterized Comprehensive Sexuality Education as a danger to African values and families, was also of particular concern.
The Liberian Youth Coalition claims that these narratives divert governments from tackling more serious structural issues affecting families while promoting stigma, prejudice, and animosity against women’s empowerment and public health measures. She reminded the Liberian government of its responsibilities under a number of international agreements, including the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, the Maputo Protocol, CEDAW, and the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
The government, development partners, civil society organizations, religious leaders, and the media were cautioned by the Books Before Boys representative to oppose anti-rights movements and instead promote inclusiveness, healthcare access, education, peace, and protection for marginalized people. “Liberia’s future cannot be built on fear, exclusion, or attacks on human dignity. We say no to narratives that use ‘family’ as a tool to roll back rights,” she added.
Reported by: Prince Saah
