New York–At a high-level meeting of the UN Peace building Commission on Liberia, the Executive Director of the Women NGOs Secretariat of Liberia (WONGOSOL), Esther S. D. Yango, delivered a powerful statement calling for renewed investment in Liberia’s peace building efforts-led by women, rooted in communities, and grounded in justice.
Addressing ambassadors, UN officials, and international partners, Yango spotlighted the critical role women have played in Liberia’s peace journey-from mediating grassroots conflicts to advocating for national reconciliation.
But she also laid bare the stark challenges that persist: limited political representation, lack of funding for local women-led groups, and the unfinished business of transitional justice.
“Liberian women have long been on the frontlines of peace, not as beneficiaries, but as engineers,” Yango said.
Continuing, she stated: “From dialogue tables to protest lines, from community mediation to national advocacy, our resolve has been resolute.”
The Push for a Locally-Owned, Fully-Funded Third NAP
WONGOSOL Executive Director revealed that Liberia was one of the first African countries to adopt a National Action Plan (NAP) on UN Security Council Resolution 1325, which addresses the unique impact of conflict on women and promotes their role in peace-building.
However, as Liberia’s second NAP concludes, Yango argued that the real test lies not in adoption, but in implementation.
“Too many women in rural and conflict-affected communities remain disconnected from national policy processes,” she said. “We need a third NAP that is not just inclusive in design but embedded in budgets, translated into local languages, and integrated into county development plans.”
Call for Structural Reforms and Gender Quotas
Yango pointed to Liberia’s persistently low levels of women’s political representation-less than 11% in the Legislature and around 35% in ministerial roles-as symptomatic of deeper systemic issues.
She urged bold legal and electoral reforms, including gender quotas and protections for women in politics, to address entrenched patriarchal norms and political gatekeeping.
“Women are still facing discrimination, tokenism, and threats to their safety when they step into leadership,” she said. “We must move from symbolic inclusion to substantive equality.”
Transitional Justice: “Justice Cannot Wait”
In one of the most pointed moments of her speech, Yango called for the immediate establishment of a War and Economic Crimes Court, noting that nearly 16 years after Liberia’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) report, many of its recommendations remain unimplemented.
“Survivors, especially women, continue to wait for justice,” she said. “This is not just about punishment-it about restoring dignity, delivering reparations, and guaranteeing non-recurrence.”
Yango emphasized the need for gender-responsive transitional justice that centers the experiences of women and girls, many of whom bore the brunt of Liberia’s civil conflict.
Grassroots Leadership and Intergenerational Power
Highlighting the vibrancy of community-led peace initiatives such as the Women Peace Huts, Yango praised Liberian women as “first responders in times of crisis, providers of psychosocial support, and facilitators of community reintegration.”
She also applauded the rise of intergenerational leadership, where young women are co-leading alongside elders.
Still, she warned that these efforts remain underfunded and overly reliant on informal networks. “This momentum must be institutionalized within our national peace architecture,” she urged.
A Call to Action for International Partners
Yango praised the roles of UN Women, the Peace building Fund, and development partners like SIDA for their longstanding support. But she made clear that more must be done.
WONGOSOL’s key calls to action include:
- Supporting a third National Action Plan that is community-informed and fully funded. Sustained investment in grassroots women-led organizations
- Integration of intergenerational approaches linking the Women, Peace and Security and Youth, Peace and Security agendas; Centering women in transitional justice mechanisms
- Enacting legal reforms to eliminate systemic barriers to women’s political participation.
“From Recognition to Realization”
Ending her remarks on a note of determination, Yango urged the global community to move beyond acknowledgment of women’s contributions and toward meaningful partnership and empowerment.
“The time has come to move from recognition to realization,” she said. “We stand ready, WONGOSOL and civil society, to co-create a future where peace in Liberia is inclusive, just, and truly sustainable.”
As Liberia continues to navigate its post-conflict recovery, Yango’s speech was a reminder that sustainable peace requires the full, equal, and meaningful participation of women-at every level.
A Cry for Help: 22-Year-Old Ruth Thomas Battles Bone TB and Diabetes as She and Her Disabled Mother Plead for Support
By G. Watson Richards
In a quiet corner of Monrovia, 22-year-old Ruth Thomas fights a silent battle—one marked by pain, uncertainty, and a desperate hope for a better tomorrow.
Afflicted with both bone tuberculosis and diabetes since birth, Ruth’s fragile body now bears the visible scars of her suffering. Painful sores-“nats,” as she calls them-have developed on her back, making even simple movements unbearable.
“I was born with this sickness,” Ruth says in a soft, tired voice, barely able to sit upright. “The pain is constant. But what hurts even more knows I can’t get the treatment I need.”
Her condition has grown more severe in recent months, and the young woman now pleads with the Government of Liberia, kind-hearted individuals, and humanitarian organizations for urgent medical help-assistance that could mean the difference between life and death.
Ruth’s mother, Esther Pother, adds her own voice to the plea. A disabled woman with limited mobility, Esther has become her daughter’s only caregiver. But she, too, is struggling.
“I cannot move around freely to fend for her or myself,” Esther said with tears welling up in her eyes. “I am a mother watching my child suffer and I feel powerless.”
Their current living conditions only compound their hardship. The mother and daughter were thrown out of the house by Esther’s eldest daughter and now rely on the mercy of a friend who offered them temporary shelter. The overcrowded space lacks basic privacy and is unsuitable for Ruth’s delicate condition.
“Every day I pray someone will hear our cry,” Esther says. “We need a place to stay, even just a single room with clean space. We are appealing to anyone who can rent a room for us. Please, help us. We have nowhere else to go.”
A Call to Action
Ruth’s story is not just one of illness, but of quiet courage in the face of overwhelming adversity. She dreams of walking again without pain, of being able to return to school, and one day helping others who suffer like her.
Doctors have advised that she seek advanced medical care abroad or at a better-equipped health facility in Liberia. But with no financial support, that goal remains a distant dream.
The Thomas-Pother family is now making an urgent appeal: To the Government of Liberia – to intervene through the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and assist with Ruth’s treatment and housing.
They are calling on humanitarian and charitable organizations – to sponsor Ruth’s medical treatment or facilitate her referral to a specialized care center.
To private citizens and churches – to assist with rent, food, and daily supplies.
This is a clarion call to all well-meaning Liberians and friends of Liberia. Ruth’s life hangs in the balance. What she and her mother need now is not sympathy, but action.
If you or your organization can offer help in any way-financially, medically, or with shelter-please reach out.
Ruth and her mother Esther are clinging to hope, but they cannot do it alone.
