Liberian Government Praised for Gender-Focused Budgeting Workshop

Monrovia – Participants of the Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection’s (MoGCSP) five-day workshop on Gender Responsive Participatory Budgeting (GRPB) have praised the Liberian government for enhancing their capacity and deepening their understanding of gender-responsive budgeting.

The workshop, held from November 18 to 22, 2024, in Monrovia, was funded by the World Bank and brought together staff from Gender and Social Inclusion Units (GSIUs) and various divisions within 108 government spending entities. It aimed to build skills in gender-based analysis (GBA) and equitable resource evaluation, including financial investments, time, and labor. The initiative is part of Component 4 of the Liberia Women Empowerment Project (LWEP).

Participants described the training as timely and transformative.

“The training was impactful and gave us valuable insights into the importance of collaboration among government institutions in the context of gender-responsive budgeting,” said Kpanah L. Mason, GRPB-NCU Coordinator at the Ministry of Finance.

Mason emphasized the need to foster partnerships that promote ongoing dialogue about budgeting, adding that such collaboration is key to establishing an inclusive and responsive governance framework.

Pewee J. Laward, Assistant Director for GSIU at the Ministry of Justice, pledged to share the knowledge gained during the workshop with his colleagues. “While I thank the government for this learning opportunity, I urge them to extend similar training to other parts of the country for broader understanding of this critical issue,” he said.

Stephen G. Yokah, Assistant Director for the Women Empowerment Division at MoGCSP, reiterated the government’s commitment to inclusive governance. “The ministry recognizes that women and marginalized groups have historically been excluded from the budgeting process,” he said, stressing the importance of addressing this disparity.

World Bank Liberia Country Manager Georgia Wallen, in her remarks, expressed optimism about the training’s potential long-term benefits. She commended the Ministries of Gender and Finance and Development Planning for their leadership in advancing gender-responsive governance. “This initiative has the potential to positively impact Liberia for years to come,” she noted.

The workshop highlighted the importance of integrating gender considerations into Liberia’s budgeting processes and fostering inclusive practices that address the needs of all citizens.