By H.E. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf| Former President of the Republic of Liberia
On 2nd July 2010, the global community birthed a new UN agency, the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women), whose establishment was made possible by the coming together of member states and the powerful global women’s movement. As we mark fifteen years since UN Women’s establishment this month, we must pay tribute to those who brought to life the vision of a dedicated UN entity for the empowerment of women and girls and we must recommit and continue to invest in realizing its mandate.
In many ways, the story of UN Women is the story of global solidarity. It is the result of decades of tireless advocacy by the global women’s movement, the unwavering commitment of Member States, and recognition that half of humanity deserves an agency wholly dedicated to advancing their rights, opportunities, and voices. Building on the legacy of the UN Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), and the other offices existing then for the advancement of women, UN Women’s creation, in 2010, represented a breakthrough moment for multilateralism: a bold statement that gender equality is not peripheral, but central to justice, peace and development.
The earlier years of UN Women’s establishment represented a transformative time in Liberia’s history. I had just become Africa’s first democratically elected female Head of State, an outcome made possible by the determination and organizing power of Liberian women. The significance of my election, and the establishment of UN Women, felt part of a broader wave: one that saw women, particularly from post-conflict countries like ours, taking their rightful place at the forefront of peacebuilding.
In Liberia, UN Women quickly became a trusted partner, working alongside government, civil society, and traditional leaders to embed gender equality into national policies and priorities, strengthening coordination across sectors to address the root causes of inequality.
UN Women’s investments have been strategic and cognizant of the lived realities of Liberian women. It has supported women’s economic empowerment through skills training, access to finance, and adult literacy programs—particularly for rural women. It has helped to establish and strengthen women’s networks—from rural women’s platforms to cross-border traders’ associations and the Peace Hut women, providing them with tools to organize, advocate, and lead.
UN Women has also played a key role in promoting women’s political participation, providing mentorship and campaign training for female candidates, and supporting civic engagement initiatives to create an enabling environment for women to lead. In addition, it has supported the adoption of policies and programs to end violence against women and girls, reinforcing the broader goal of ensuring women’s full, equal, and safe participation in all aspects of public and private life.
As we reflect on this journey, I am reminded that the work of building strong, inclusive, and equitable societies must continue across generations. That is the very spirit that animates the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Presidential Center for Women and Development. Established after I left office, the Center is a continuation of the commitment to advancing women’s public leadership in Africa. Through our flagship Amujae Initiative, we support high-achieving African women leaders to ascend to the highest echelons of public service, equipping them to break barriers, influence policy, and transform governance systems for the better. Through our Data Hub, we have been collecting and publishing data on the representation of women in the various decision making bodies in all 54 countries.
In this regard, the EJS Center stands as a partner and ally to institutions like UN Women. We share a common mission: to challenge the systems that exclude, to uplift the voices too often ignored, and to build a future where women’s leadership is not an aspiration, but a reality. Our work draws from the same well of courage and conviction that brought UN Women into being— and we remain committed to carrying this legacy forward, in Liberia and across the continent.
Fifteen years later, and as we mark Beijing+30 we note undeniable gains in many countries: more girls are in school, more women are serving in leadership roles, and legal protections against gender-based violence have been strengthened in many countries. Yet, progress remains uneven. Too many women, particularly in fragile, conflict-affected, and under-resourced settings, continue to face systemic barriers to equality and justice.
Today, UN Women marks its fifteenth anniversary at a time of crisis and reckoning. The global rollback on women’s rights, shrinking resources, and political pushback remind us that gains can never be taken for granted. If anything, they underscore just how relevant, how necessary, and how urgent UN Women’s mission remains.
Just as women around the world mobilized to make UN Women a reality, we must now unite again. Women in Liberia and globally must come together to protect the gains we have made and push further toward the goals we have yet to reach. We must stand in solidarity with those on the frontlines defending human rights, shaping policy, leading movements, and advancing peace and sustainable development.
Liberia, a trailblazer in implementing the Beijing+30 agenda and the Women, Peace and Security agenda, has an opportunity to lead again. As we take our seat on the United Nations Security Council, we must amplify our legacy of gender inclusion in peacebuilding and champion partnerships with institutions such as UN Women that are rooted in local realities and global ambition.
I congratulate UN Women on this milestone. May the next fifteen years bring us closer to the world we have long envisioned: one where every woman and girl can live in dignity, safety, and freedom—and where her leadership is recognized not as an exception, but as the norm.
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