Monrovia, Liberia – The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, through Deputy Minister Atty. Laura Golakeh, has joined stakeholders to validate a comprehensive service mapping report aimed at closing critical gaps in survivor support services. The activity comes as a significant step toward strengthening the national response to Gender-Based Violence (GBV).
The validation exercise, organized by the Community Healthcare Initiative with technical and financial support from the Ministry, brought together government institutions, civil society actors, and international partners to review data collected from a nationwide mapping of GBV service providers.
The service mapping provides an evidence-based overview of Liberia’s GBV response landscape, capturing where services currently exist, identifying gaps in coverage and accessibility, and charting a coordinated path forward to ensure that every survivor receives timely, dignified, and quality care.
Speaking at the event, Deputy Minister Golakeh underscored the importance of data and coordination in the fight against GBV, stressing that without a clear understanding of the current response architecture, interventions risk being fragmented and ineffective.
“If we are to end gender-based violence, we must first understand the full picture—where survivors can turn for help, where the gaps exist, and how we can close those gaps together,” Atty. Golakeh stated. “Coordination is not optional; it is our collective responsibility.”
She reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to a multi-sectoral approach that brings together the health, justice, security, social protection, and community development sectors. The validation exercise marks a key milestone in operationalizing Liberia’s national GBV response framework, which prioritizes survivor-centered care, protection, and accountability.
The mapping exercise is expected to inform policy decisions, resource allocation, and the strengthening of referral pathways to ensure that survivors are not left without support when they report incidents of abuse.
The Ministry continues to urge all Liberians to play an active role in ending GBV by reporting suspected cases through the national toll-free hotline, 116, which provides confidential access to support services.
The event also served as a precursor to activities marking International Women’s Day, with partners reaffirming their commitment to protecting the rights and dignity of women and girls across Liberia.
