Participants at a two-day validation workshop for Liberia’s 2025 Climate Change and Gender Action Plan (CCGAP) have expressed strong optimism about the plan’s potential to embed gender equality within the country’s climate strategies.
The CCGAP, developed under the leadership of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) with support from UN Women and other partners, aims to ensure that women play a central role in climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts.
Laura B. Kiekpo, representing the Women Empowerment Forum Liberia and serving as a board member of the Women’s NGO Secretariat of Liberia (WONGOSOL), described the CCGAP as “vital for advancing gender-responsive climate action.”
She emphasized that the plan will guide Liberia’s climate response over the next five years, ensuring that women are not left behind in environmental policymaking and implementation processes.
According to Kiekpo, the document provides a strategic framework for promoting equitable access to climate resources, building community resilience, and enhancing women’s participation in decision-making.
She added that the CCGAP aligns with global commitments to gender equality and sustainable development, particularly the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Ambassador Daintowon Domah Pay-Bayee of the Women Leadership and Knowledge Institute Liberia (YOWLI) said her immediate focus would be ensuring the plan’s timely dissemination once finalized.
She stressed that broad stakeholder engagement will be crucial for effective implementation and monitoring of the CCGAP’s provisions across all sectors.
Pay-Bayee noted that meaningful participation from both government and civil society actors will help the plan fulfill its mandate of advancing women’s leadership in climate governance.
Tarlo Harrington-Kekulah, Director of Gender at the National Disaster Management Agency, highlighted the CCGAP’s alignment with Liberia’s national development priorities and international frameworks.
She underscored its value as a multi-stakeholder instrument, saying its coordinated implementation under EPA’s leadership will foster coherence among government institutions and partners.
Harrington-Kekulah added that gender equality and climate resilience are interlinked, and addressing both simultaneously strengthens Liberia’s adaptive capacity to environmental challenges.
Meanwhile, Finda M. Fatorma called for deliberate action to ensure the CCGAP’s success, recommending inclusive participation and equal leadership opportunities for women and girls from all backgrounds.
She further urged strong commitments to gender-responsive financing and capacity building, noting that adequate resources are essential to achieving the plan’s intended outcomes.
The validation workshop concluded with a shared commitment among stakeholders to translate the CCGAP’s provisions into tangible progress, ensuring that Liberia’s climate response reflects both equity and sustainability.
