-Focuses on Rights and Social Justice
By Jerromie S. Walters
Looking ahead to a lot more to achieve, Actionaid Liberia, (AAL) a human rights and social justice organization operating in Liberia has officially launched its Country Strategy Paper |||, dubbed: “Action for Rights and Social Justice.”
This five-year strategy aligns closely with ActionAid’s global initiative, “Action for Global Justice” Strategy 2028, which is dedicated to strengthening social justice, eradicating poverty, and promoting equality worldwide. The focus is on collaborating with marginalized groups, activists, and social movements to effect meaningful change. The launch event took place on Wednesday, July 17, 2024, at Musu Spot along the Tubman Boulevard, Congo Town, Liberia.
According to ActionAid Liberia’s Country Director, Madam Elizabeth Gbah Johnson, the new strategy is designed to be holistic and constructive, supporting a transition that is feminist, just, and environmentally sustainable.
The strategy outlines three thematic priorities. The first, Women’s Rights and Economic Justice, aims to address structural and systemic gender-based violence against women, girls, and other marginalized groups.
The second priority, Democratic Governance, and Accountability, emphasizes inclusive civic participation led by women, ensuring access to gender-responsive public services and strengthening community healthcare delivery.
The third priority focuses on Climate Justice and Humanitarian Resilience, which seeks to enhance community resilience against climate change and disasters through sustainable practices in natural resource governance, agroecology, and livelihood development.
The Country Strategy Paper III will be executed through a series of specific objectives. Strategic Objective 1.1 aims to build the agency of women and girls of all identities to challenge the root causes of violence while influencing policy reforms through advocacy and collaboration with policymakers.
Strategic Objective 1.2 focuses on elevating the political representation of young women and securing their social, economic, and financial empowerment. Meanwhile, Strategic Objective 2.1 seeks to empower individuals living in poverty and exclusion, particularly young women, to actively participate in decision-making processes and advocate for policy reforms that ensure better utilization of health, education, and gender-responsive public services.
Additionally, Strategic Objective 2.2 aims to advance economic justice by redistributing women’s unpaid care and domestic work through expanded fiscal and policy frameworks, as well as investment in gender-responsive public services and social protection. Strategic Objective 3.1 emphasizes the importance of influencing policy and advocating for reforms in both formal and customary legal systems to ensure equitable access to productive resources, particularly agricultural land, for women and young people of all identities.
Moreover, Strategic Objective 3.2 ambitions to Promote climate-resilient ecological practices and build the capacity of communities, especially women, to achieve resilient sustainable agriculture, energy, and alternative livelihood solutions in the wake of the frequent disasters and climate change.
Unlike the above, Strategic Objective 3.3 aims at Empowering communities to Influence policy, advocating for reforms in the extractives and energy sectors while Strategic Objective 4 pursues Advanced transformative women leadership in emergency preparedness, response, and influence.
The event was graced by Mr. Curtis V. Dorley, Deputy of Research, Policy, and Planning at the Ministry of Gender, who launched the plan on behalf of Minister Gbeme Horace-Kollie, Minister of Gender, Children and Soci Protection. In his remarks, Mr. Dorley reaffirmed the Ministry’s dedication to collaborating with ActionAid to advance their shared goals. He expressed optimism about the potential impact of the strategy on marginalized communities, particularly women and youth.
Like Mr. Dorley, Ms. Josephine Poole Gbarma, President of a Community-Based Organization in Gbarpolu County accentuated the tangible benefits that ActionAid has brought to Gbarpolu County, particularly in enhancing educational opportunities for young girls. “Thanks to ActionAid’s initiatives, over 50 young girls have graduated from grade 12, with many now working as teachers or in other professions. This is a significant achievement for Gbarma District, especially compared to the situation before ActionAid’s arrival. We are witnessing a measurable decrease in cases of Sexual Gender-Based Violence as well,” she stated.
The event also saw substantial support from ActionAid’s partners, including the Embassy of Sweden. Dwedwe Tarpeh, Program Officer at the Embassy of Sweden, emphasized the long-standing relationship between the Embassy and ActionAid, referencing their collaboration on previous Country Strategy Papers. “We are steadfast partners of ActionAid and remain committed to empowering communities across Liberia,” she affirmed.
ActionAid Liberia is a partnership of people, organizations, and social movements that is committed to ending poverty. It focuses on strengthening the capabilities of people to
own and lead their development. For over 25 years, ActionAid Liberia has comprehensively promoted and advanced the rights of women, children, youth, and people
living in poverty by engaging duty-bearers and
shifting the development paradigm from one
that is internationally driven to one that is
people-centered.
ActionAid’s Vision is: A just, equitable and sustainable world in which every person enjoys the right to a life of dignity, freedom from poverty and all forms of oppression.
Its Mission is: To achieve social justice, gender equality, and poverty eradication by working with people living in poverty and exclusion, their communities, people’s organizations, activists, social movements and
supporters.
