Monrovia – The Executive Director of the Initiative for Women and Youth Empowerment (IWYE), Mrs. Musu Weenor Davis, has sounded the alarm on Liberia’s escalating teenage pregnancy crisis, urging the government and the Legislature to make family planning a national priority.
Speaking with urgency, Mrs. Davis called for a significant boost in the budget allocation for family planning within the Ministry of Health, emphasizing that proper planning is essential in preventing unwanted pregnancies and securing the future of young Liberians. With teenage pregnancy rates soaring in rural and semi-rural communities, she warned that the situation demands immediate and decisive action from national leaders.
“Investing in family planning is not just a necessity; it is a fundamental obligation to safeguard the health and future of the youth of Liberia,” Mrs. Davis stated.
She pointed out that, like many sub-Saharan nations, Liberia faces significant challenges in ensuring Sexual Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR) for its citizens. Young women and girls, particularly those between the ages of 13 and 18 in rural areas, are dropping out of school at alarming rates due to unplanned pregnancies. She attributed this crisis to a lack of proper education on contraceptive use and the government’s failure to prioritize family planning services.
Mrs. Davis further lamented that family planning service delivery remains grossly inadequate nationwide. The situation is even more dire in rural communities, where nurses struggle with limited medical supplies and receive little government support, rendering contraceptive services virtually inaccessible. This lack of attention, she said, contributes to Liberia’s persistently high maternal mortality rates.
“If you take time to travel to rural areas within this country, sadly, you will come back and shed tears as many potential young women and girls have fallen victim to unwanted pregnancies,” she stated. “There are almost no family planning services in most health centers in rural parts of this country. Nurses lack motivation. In the past, only USD 20,000 was allocated for family planning services across all fifteen counties. Despite advocacy efforts, nothing was added until the current government increased it by another USD 20,000. We are grateful, but it is not enough. USD 40,000 for an entire country is inadequate. Let the government’s budget reflect its commitment to our youth and their health.”
Mrs. Davis underscored that safeguarding the future of Liberia’s young population must be a national priority. She painted a grave picture of the distressing reality many girls face, particularly in rural areas, where lack of access to family planning services forces them to abandon their education. This, she warned, presents a long-term threat to national development.
She called on civil society organizations, non-governmental groups, and community-based organizations to intensify their advocacy efforts, stating that collective action is crucial in driving meaningful change.
The Liberia National Sexual and Reproductive Health Policy of 2010 outlined efforts to improve SRHR for women, youth, and rural populations. However, past and present governments have failed to effectively implement policies that would ensure comprehensive family planning services, leaving a glaring gap in reproductive healthcare accessibility.
Since its establishment in 2015, the Initiative for Women and Youth Empowerment (IWYE) has been at the forefront of advocating for better conditions for Liberia’s youth. Formerly known as “Girl For Literacy,” the organization has empowered hundreds of young girls and women through education, reproductive health advocacy, and community outreach.
Discussion about this post