By: Emmanuel Kerkulah
The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MGCSP) has commenced regional consultations toward the development of Liberia’s new National Gender Policy (NGP) for 2026–2036.
The multi-stakeholder engagement is taking place in Gbarnga, Bong County.
The consultation forms part of a nationwide process aimed at gathering inputs from key stakeholders to shape a policy framework that is inclusive, responsive, and aligned with Liberia’s national development priorities.
Speaking at the opening of the consultation in Gbarnga, Mr. Curtis V. Dorley, Deputy Minister for Research, Policy and Planning at the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, traced the history of the National Gender Policy to 2009, when Liberia adopted several international and regional conventions, treaties, and protocols on gender equality, equity, and mainstreaming.
He explained that these commitments led to the formulation of Liberia’s first National Gender Policy, which was implemented from 2010 to 2020, with the objective of promoting gender equality, women’s empowerment, and gender-responsive governance.
According to Minister Dorley, a midterm review of the policy was conducted in 2015, followed by a revision in 2017, extending the policy lifespan from 2018 to 2022.
A subsequent content and impact end-line evaluation revealed a 61.1 percent performance score, indicating progress while also highlighting challenges, gaps, and areas requiring further action.
He described the Bong County consultation as an important milestone in the policy development roadmap, noting that the new policy will cover a ten-year period, with a mid-term evaluation planned to assess implementation progress and outcomes.
Deputy Minister Dorley outlined three key focus areas to guide discussions during the consultation: reflecting on the recommendations from the end-line evaluation; providing inputs to help draft a focused and responsive policy aligned with national priorities; and identifying ways to strengthen partnerships in the context of financing constraints, demographic changes, and emerging national and regional opportunities.
He emphasized that stakeholders’ contributions will directly inform the theory of change and strategic priorities of the National Gender Policy for 2026–2036.
The Deputy Gender Minister further noted that the development of the new policy is timely, as Liberia has adopted a new national development framework the ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development (AAID).
