Monrovia, Liberia – The Executive Director of the Initiative for Women and Youth Empowerment (IWYE), Musu W. Davis, has reiterated her calls to the government to cut off the “peanut allotment given to support the Family Planning (FP).”
Madam Davis at the same time passionately pleaded with the government, through the legislature, to make a substantial increase to the FP budget in the Ministry of Health Budget as they debated the expenditure component of the FY2026 budget.
In a conversation with our reporter, IWYE Boss, however, commended the government for the gesture of previous increment of the FP budget, but sharply criticized the amount as insufficient to address the growing teenage pregnancy crisis.
According to her, although the amount has moved from US$50,000 to US$75,000, said increment is a mere ‘peanut’ when compared to FP support levels across the region.
She noted, “Go and visit Bong County, for example. The rising number of teenage pregnancies has overwhelmed health care workers. We need the government to support things that are of priority or essential to the future of this country.”
“Not this peanut of an allotment. The future lies in these young girls who continue to fall prey to teenage pregnancies, dropping out of school in their numbers,” madam Davis intoned.
She further emphasized that unplanned pregnancies among teenage and young women are increasing daily due to the lack of access to and the use of contraceptives, especially in rural communities.
Davis wondered, “Across this country, the phrase ‘pregnant women has now changed to ‘pregnant girls.’ Why? Most of the people you see running to health centers are girls between 13 and 14 years old. Does anyone think this is normal? Hell No!”
She at the same time highlighted the devastating impact of the USAID funding cuts, stressing that Liberia is among the most vulnerable nations affected as such, the need for the government to act cannot be overemphasized.
America has supported Liberia with nearly 2.6% of its gross national income, the highest percentage compared to other nations, according to the Center for Global Development.
As it stands, the country is losing an estimated US$290 million used to support crucial sectors such as health and education, something she said as a result of the withdrawal, health facilities are experiencing severe shortages of medicines and supplies.
She maintained that Healthcare workers are becoming unpaid and unmotivated, thus causing essential programs to collapse and shut down, with several of these health facilities in rural communities being closed.
Meanwhile, a recent report by a media outlet revealed that 75% of births recorded at the Foequelleh Maternal Waiting Home in Bong County are delivered by girls aged 13 to 14 years.
C.B Dunbar and Phebe hospitals recorded 3,592 teenage pregnancies between 2022 to 2024. Health sector actors have warned of a serious collapse in rural communities’ health needs if the government neglects the necessary action.
These numbers, madam Davis said reflect a full-blown national emergency, tied directly to limited access to contraceptives, high unmet FP needs, with 33% among women and rocket-sky high among young girls and teenagers, plus the lack of education as a result of high-level school dropout.
She then urged the government and lawmakers to respond decisively during the ongoing budget hearing, noting that the ratio of babies giving birth to babies is sky-high.
“Visit rural communities’ health centers and see how high and alarming this is. Health workers are not inspired by low wages, a lack of support, and poor infrastructure. Do we sit and do nothing? We must speak and engage the government responsibly. Liberia is all we have,” she asserted.
The IWYE Boss further narrated that Liberia can move ahead to reduce these alarming national emergencies if the government prioritizes what is of vital importance to the well-being of her people.
“What puts the country forward is when girls are educated and empowered to make informed decisions about their bodies. When boys can make informed decisions about their sexual rights. When young girls can access contraceptives and basic health services. Because unplanned pregnancies only deepen a nation’s poverty,” she added.
Reported by: contributor
