MONROVIA – Representative Moima Briggs Mensah (District #6, Bong County) has once again stressed the importance of regulating sex work in Liberia.
By: G. Watson Richards, Contributing Writer
Rep. Briggs-Mensah, a staunch advocate for women’s rights, chairs the House Committee on Gender, Children, and Social Protection. According to her, standardizing sex work could help prevent the exploitation of young women and girls in Liberia.
“We need to establish regulations for sex work. This will deter men from exploiting our young girls, aged 12, 13, and beyond,” said Rep. Mensah during the induction ceremony of the Women’s NGOs of Liberia Secretariat Board of Directors.
Rep. Briggs-Mensah, who also leads the Women Legislative Caucus, proposed that individuals over the age of 18 who choose to engage in sex work must obtain a license. She emphasized that this licensing process would discourage those who seek to engage in exploitative behavior.
She emphasized the importance of enacting legislation to punish those who engage in illegal sex work. Speaking on Friday, February 2, at the induction ceremony of the newly elected Board of Directors of the Women’s NGOs Secretariat of Liberia (WONGOSOL), held at the Shark’s Business Center on the Airfield, the Bong County District 6 Representative reiterated her stance.
The debate over the legalization of sex work in Liberia emerged during the 54th Legislature in 2019 when Rep. Briggs-Mensah submitted a proposal to decriminalize and regulate sex work, aiming to mitigate health and moral risks, particularly for adolescent females, amidst the prevalent sexual exploitation in Liberia.
Rep. Briggs-Mensah urged the new Board of Directors of WONGOSOL to remain engaged with their partners and collaborate to eradicate child labor and female genital mutilation in Liberia.
She tasked the Board Members to advocate for women’s equal participation in politics and leadership roles. She expressed confidence in the new board members, noting their energy and commitment to effect positive change and garner support for women’s organizations to address societal challenges.
The induction ceremony followed WONGOSOL’s biennial General Assembly (GA) held in Gbarnga, Bong County, in December 2024, themed “Promoting Women Leadership in Our Growing Democracy: A Call to Action.”
During the Assembly, eight board members, including four regional coordinators, were elected to lead the Board for the next two years.
The elected officials include: Atty. Facia B. Harris, Chairperson; Nelly Cooper, 1st VP; Victoria Torlo Koiquah, 2nd Vice Chairperson; Esther S. Davis Yango, Secretary; Laura Bee Kiepo, Financial Secretary; Jannet O. Paye, Region one Coordinator; Kona Kollie, Region two Coordinator; Laura T. Korvah, Region three Coordinator; and Grace Scotland Brimah, Region four Coordinator.
Also speaking at the induction ceremony, the Country Representative of UN Women, Comfort Lamptey, emphasized that the challenges facing women in Liberia are continuously evolving. She urged the WONGOSOL Board of Directors to remain resilient in guiding through these challenges.
She urged her fellow Board members to prioritize the interests of women and girls, acknowledging the enormous challenges they face daily and their resilience in overcoming them.