Monrovia – The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), in collaboration with UNICEF and the United Nations in Liberia, has launched a new Joint Program focused on Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) and Nutrition, targeting 100,000 adolescent girls across Liberia.
By J.H. Webster Clayeh (0886729972) | [email protected]
The five-year initiative, officially launched at the William V. S. Tubman High School in Sinkor, is funded by the Government of Ireland at a cost of €7 million. It is themed: “Harnessing the Full Potential of Adolescent Girls in Liberia.”
The program aims to empower adolescent girls in Montserrado, Grand Gedeh, and River Cess Counties through improved access to SRHR and nutrition services.
The launch was graced by Neale Richmond, Ireland’s Minister of State for International Development and Diaspora, who led a delegation to Liberia for the occasion.
Representatives from the Liberian government, including officials from the Ministries of Health; Youth and Sports; Education; Gender, Children and Social Protection; and Internal Affairs, were also in attendance. These institutions will provide technical and managerial support to ensure successful implementation and foster local ownership.
“Protect, Empower, Nurture”
Speaking at the event, Minister Richmond emphasized the integrated approach of the program, which addresses nutrition and sexual and reproductive health together.
“Nurture programs combine nutritional, sexual and reproductive health rights and empowerment, recognizing that you cannot address one challenge without tackling the others. Funded by the Embassy of Ireland with an investment of €7 million over the next five years, we hope to directly reach more than 100,000 adolescent girls,” he said.
He added: “This program will empower girls to lead healthier, safer, and more dignified lives. Addressing these issues together is not just strategic—it is a moral imperative to ensure no adolescent girl is left behind.”
Richmond also commended the Government of Liberia for its leadership in advancing gender equality and nutrition through the Arrest Agenda for Inclusion and Development, and he called on other international partners to bring their expertise to bear in ensuring the program’s success.
“Despite all our strengths, we cannot do this alone. To all the stakeholders here today, you are key to this initiative—and I simply want to say thank you.”
Girls at the Center
During the launch, adolescent girls themselves shared powerful stories of resilience and pledged their commitment to leading and participating in the program’s implementation.
Providing an overview of the initiative, Mr. Leonard Kamugisha, UNFPA Liberia Deputy Country Representative, outlined the program’s three main objectives: strengthen national and community institutions to create an enabling environment that supports adolescent-responsive SRHR and nutrition; expand access and utilization of quality SRHR and nutrition services among adolescent girls and enhance the leadership and agency of adolescent girls to participate and influence decision-making at all levels.
“We expect that over the five-year implementation period, the program will reduce teenage pregnancy, lower anemia rates, and shift social norms away from harmful practices through sustained community engagement,” Kamugisha said.
The program’s two main pillars—SRHR and nutrition—will strengthen national strategies, guidelines, and services, including the expansion of the “Three Access Model,” which delivers SRHR services through schools, health facilities, and communities.
The nutrition component will support the development of national guidelines and the strengthening of data management systems for nutrition.
UNFPA and UNICEF will provide technical support in SRHR, nutrition, and adolescent development, while the Government of Ireland, through its embassy, will offer financial, technical, and diplomatic backing. Civil society organizations will implement community-based interventions and lead advocacy efforts, while community and traditional leaders are expected to drive local ownership and social change.
Addressing Teenage Pregnancy
Health Minister Dr. Louise Kpoto acknowledged Liberia’s high rate of teenage pregnancy, noting that between 2019 and 2020, the rate stood at 30% among girls aged 15 to 19.
“The WHO classifies this age group as late adolescence. But if you look at early adolescence—ages 10 to 14—there are also reported cases of pregnancies,” she said.
Dr. Kpoto pledged the government’s full support for the initiative.
“To the Minister of State from Ireland, we want to assure you of our commitment—through the Ministry of Health and in partnership with UNICEF and UNFPA—to ensure that this program reaches the adolescent girls who need it most.”
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