-On International Observance
Monrovia– Liberia joined the global community today in celebrating the International Day of Women in Diplomacy, with current and former female diplomats gathering at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs alongside government officials, international partners, and civil society representatives.
UN Women Liberia Country Representative Comfort Lamptey delivered a keynote address urging concrete action to advance gender equality in diplomacy. She called on the Liberian government and its partners to implement four key measures in line with UN Resolution 58/15. First, Lamptey emphasized the need to invest in a gender-responsive diplomatic pipeline by expanding foreign service training and leadership development opportunities for women. She acknowledged ongoing efforts through the Foreign Service Institute’s specialized training program for women diplomats.
Second, the UN official stressed the importance of integrating gender equality into foreign policy and national law, specifically calling for the finalization and implementation of Liberia’s draft Gender-Responsive Foreign Policy with clear accountability mechanisms. Third, Lamptey highlighted the need to protect women in multilateral spaces by ensuring safe, inclusive environments free from harassment and discrimination.
Finally, she urged Liberia to leverage its upcoming 2026-2027 UN Security Council term to champion the Women, Peace and Security agenda, amplifying the voices of women peacebuilders across Africa. “Diplomacy cannot reach its full potential when half of its talent pool faces systemic barriers,” Lamptey stated, noting that while women comprise 33% of Liberia’s foreign service personnel, they remain underrepresented in senior diplomatic roles.
Foreign Minister Sara Beysolow Nyanti acknowledged these disparities, revealing plans to revise the Foreign Service Manual to mandate gender parity in training and promotions. The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection announced it would conduct an audit of recruitment barriers by the third quarter of 2025.
The celebration honored pioneering Liberian women diplomats including Angie Brooks, Africa’s first female UN General Assembly President, and current Ambassador-Designate to France Wilhelmina Jallah. Youth delegate Princess Turray of the Girls’ Diplomacy Initiative represented the next generation of diplomatic leaders.
Participants agreed to establish quarterly gender audits at the Foreign Ministry, launch a Women in Diplomacy Fund by year’s end, and prioritize women’s issues during Liberia’s Security Council tenure. As Lamptey concluded: “Liberia’s post-conflict transformation demonstrates the transformative power of women’s leadership – now we must institutionalize this progress.”
