Medica Liberia Country Director Delivers Keynote Address at the Launch of 16 Days of Activism

The Country Director of Medica Liberia, Atty. Yah Vallah Parwon, has called for openness, commitment, and collaboration among stakeholders in the fight against sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) in Liberia.

Speaking at the launch of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, Atty. Parwon emphasized the importance of working with civil society organizations (CSOs) to create an inclusive and cooperative environment, which she believes is essential for making progress in combating SGBV.

She also urged the government, particularly the Ministry of Gender, to maintain the spirit of collaboration, especially when it comes to holding individuals accountable for acts of violence.

This year’s observance of the 16 Days of Activism, celebrated under the national theme “From Talk to Action, Towards Beijing 2030, Unite! To End Violence Against Women and Girls,” saw thousands of Liberian women come together to rally for an end to violence against women and girls. The global campaign serves as a critical moment for raising awareness and calling for action to end gender-based violence worldwide.

Atty. Parwon further stressed that Liberia must move beyond empty promises and ensure that commitments are backed by adequate resources. She highlighted that the current allocation of less than 1% of the national budget to SGBV services is insufficient and called on the government to increase the budget for these services by at least 5%.

She said “These themes are not just slogans—they are calls to action. They remind us that violence against women and girls is not inevitable, that it can and must be ended. They push us to honor the commitments made nearly 30 years ago at the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing—a defining moment when the world declared: Human rights are women’s rights and women rights are human rights.”

“When we say, Women’s rights are human rights, we affirm a universal truth: the rights and freedoms that every human being is entitled to—dignity, equality, safety, and opportunity—belong equally to women and girls. It means that women’s ability to live free from violence, to access justice, to make decisions about their own lives and bodies, and to participate fully in society is not negotiable or secondary. These are rights inherent to every person, and they are fundamental to our shared humanity,” Atty. Parwon said in her speech.

During her keynote speech, the Medica Liberia boss emphasized the importance of collective action in combating gender-based violence. She highlighted alarming statistics that reveal the prevalence of such violence in the country, urging all stakeholders to unite in efforts to create a safer environment for women and girls.

Atty. Parwon said “In Liberia, the situation is equally alarming, with gender-based violence (GBV) persisting as one of the most pervasive violations of human rights. These statistics are not mere numbers. They represent lives disruption, potentials lost, and a society held back. Addressing SGBV is not optional—it is a legal and societal imperative. It requires not just awareness, but action, not just policies, but implementation, and not just words, but commitment.”

“No empty promises, our commitments must be backed by resources. With less than 1% of the national budget allocated to SGBV services over the past five years, key infrastructure in several counties is non-functional highly dependent on donor funding, underscoring the urgent need for government-funded response. To move from talk to action, I call on the government to increase the national budget for GBV services by at least 5% to ensure that every county has at least one fully functional safe home and adequate resources for one-stop centers and legal support systems. This commitment is not just about services—it is about justice, dignity, and demonstrating the government’s resolve to protect women and girls across Liberia,” she added.

Medica Liberia has meanwhile announced a series of activities planned for the 16 days, including workshops, community outreach programs, and advocacy campaigns aimed at educating the public about the rights of women and the importance of reporting incidents of violence.