A Call to be Intentional About Women Empowerment to Break Barriers that Limit Women’s Advancement, ActionAid Liberia & Keynote Speakers Cautioned at 2025 Women’s Conference
Uniting under one vision to break down the structural barriers holding women and girls back.
The keynote speaker at the 10th Women’s Consultative Conference has called on all actors and stakeholders working around women’s empowerment issues to be intentional to tackle women’s empowerment, protection and break barriers that limit them.
The call comes from Margibi County District 3 representative Hon. Ellen Attoh Wreh. In her keynote address, Attoh said when women and girls’ issues are not put at the back banner, but it’s handled robustly and women themselves are able to sit at the table to fully participate in decision making that directly impact them, Wreh said can have lasting benefits on the country and brings about policy change.
“There is nothing for women without women.” Representative Ellen Attoh Wreh said.
The conference convene by Kvinna Till Kvinna (KTK), in collaboration with ActionAid Liberia, UN Women, FORUM.CIV, the Ministry of Gender, , Medica Liberia, RSFU, For All Women and Girls, the Women NGO Secretariat of Liberia, and the Feminists Coalition the 2025 conference brought together 100+ women, women's leaders, CSOs, CBOs, He4She Ambassadors, and representatives from government, and the diplomatic community is uniting under one vision: to break down the structural barriers holding women and girls back.
This year’s Women’s Consultative Conference was held under the theme "Redefining Power: Women at the Center of Health, Well-being, and Inclusive Leadership for the Future," is a space for action, reflection, and real policy influence.
The conference sparked heartwarming conversations on women’s health, leadership, and political participation, with deep dives into strengthening Sexual and Reproductive Health and Right, Ending GBV, and Bridging divides within the women’s movement, Elevating one united gender voice for change.
In her keynote address, the Margibi County District 3 representative, also further stressed the need for greater push for women political participation to elected positions. According to her, the number women currently in the Liberia Legislature remains very low, accounting for just 11%; as such, to change this, she added will required women standing up for their fellow women and working side-by-side with men who support women’s leadership and women building stronger networks within communities.
At one of the co-conveners of this year’s conference ActionAid Liberia renewed the calls for women's empowerment reaffirming its commitment to promoting women's rights and amplifying their voices, stressing that gender equality must remain a national priority.
“ActionAid remains committed to standing side by side with women and encouraging men to do the same. We recognize that real progress is only possible through partnerships with government, civil society, development partners, and most importantly through working directly with women,” she said.”
She highlighted the crucial role of partnerships with government, civil society, development agencies, and women themselves in achieving lasting progress. “The courage and resilience of Liberian women inspire us every day. But we cannot make progress without true collaboration,” she added.
The Business Development Manager also underscored that women’s rights including land ownership, leadership, and political representation are not just women’s issues but national development imperatives.
She further urged all stakeholders not to view the fight for gender equality as a women’s issue alone but as a national development imperative.
“Gender equality should not be left to women alone; it is a development priority that encompasses women’s rights to land, leadership, and political participation. These are at the core of ActionAid’s work,” she added.
Madam Koiquah stressed that empowering women to lead creates the foundation for societal transformation and progress. She called for intentional actions to promote women’s leadership and political participation.
“We believe that discussions must now lead to action for women’s political participation, leadership, and overall growth,” she emphasized.
Concluding her remarks, Madam Koiquah encouraged Liberian women to be proactive in claiming their rightful spaces in society.
“Until you get that space, find that space. Don’t wait for anyone to give it to you,” she urged.
The conference brought together stakeholders from across sectors, united in the call for inclusive growth and the advancement of women’s leadership in all spheres of Liberian society.
“The records will show that over the last 10 years, this platform provides an invaluable space for us to review progress for women, to raise their voices, shift policy conversations, and chart pathways for our collective empowerment.”
She said that the theme of gathering, redefining power, women have a sense of wealth, well-being, and inclusive leadership for the future. It's full-time lives and transformative.
Deputy Minister Laura than urged all partners and attendees at the conference to reimagine leadership for economic progress and social well-being for women by putting women issues at the center of development and having women themselves as central actors of national growth.
She then reaffirmed the government’s commitment to continue working with women networks to push the agenda in the country, but stressed that the it first starts with government authority to account and holding.
The national development framework she pointed out rightfully aligns with the theme of the 2025 Women’s Consultative Conference which pillars ranges from agriculture to rule of law, to education, to sanitation, and tourism all geared at achieving a cross-quality gender equality and social inclusion.
“When you look at the rule of law pillar, we're calling for sheltering legal protections for women's rights, access to justice, and we're also pushing for accessibility for our local folks to really help them to handle gender-based cases fairly and efficiently.”
Convened by Kvinna Till Kvinna, the conference was under the Sida-funded programme Promotion of Women's Empowerment and Rights (POWER, which supports the women’s rights movement in collaboration with eleven partner organizations across seven counties in Liberia. The programme emphasizes women’s political participation, economic empowerment, and addressing GBV and sexual and reproductive health and rights.
As part of its broader strategy, Kvinna till Kvinna hosts an annual Women’s Consultative Conference, which convenes diverse women leaders, civil society actors, and rights holders to strengthen collective action for gender equality. Since its inception in 2015, the conference has evolved into a powerful platform for dialogue, strategy, and unity within the women’s movement in Liberia.
This year, the 10th edition of the conference which focuses on women’s wealth and wellbeing is geared at reshaping systems for inclusive leadership and progress to discuss issues affective the women’s movement in Liberia and strategize practical solutions.