2026 International Women’s Day: ActionAid Liberia & LWEP Advancing Women’s Inclusion, calling for Social Justice at All Levels

Often, we remind ourselves of the core principles and golden rules that make AAL advocacy impactful and transformative. A key part of staying effective is continuously bringing team members up to speed on critical policy instruments and guidelines that shape our values, protect the rights of others, and guide our engagement with communities.

Against this backdrop, the Liberia Women Empowerment Project (LWEP) under which ActionAid Liberia lead Component 1b has successfully concluded an intensive internal staff capacity-building refresher training focused on Sexual Harassment, Exploitation and Abuse (SHEA) and safeguarding.

ActionAid Liberia is implementing Component 1b of the Liberia Women Empowerment Project (LWEP), which focuses on strengthening community engagement, fostering positive social norms, and building active citizenship. This component involves setting up grievance redress committees, strengthening community ownership, and mobilizing communities to address gender-based violence and harmful practices.

AAL’s LWEP Gbarpolu County Coordinator, Prince Gaye, and Winnie Wesley of Medica for facilitating these insightful sessions. Not only were LWEP staff trained, but the training also benefited local CSOs and CBO. At least 20 staff members have been trained

2026 International Women’s Day: ActionAid Liberia & LWEP Advancing Women’s Inclusion, calling for Social Justice at All Levels

ActionAid Liberia, in partnership with the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, joined thousands across the country to commemorate the 2026 International Women’s Day (IWD) under the global theme: “Rights. Justice. Action. For ALL Women and Girls.”

The national celebration brought together more than 10,000 participants at the Samuel K. Doe Sports Complex in Paynesville, demonstrating a powerful collective commitment to advancing gender equality and social justice in Liberia.

As a key consortium member for this year’s IWD celebration in Montserrado County, ActionAid Liberia mobilized 80 rural and semi-urban women and girls to actively participate in the national event. This effort ensured that the voices and experiences of grassroots women were represented in national conversations on rights and inclusion.

In further recognition of the need to decentralize advocacy and expand awareness, ActionAid Liberia’s Women Empowerment Project team in Grand Gedeh County organized a parallel event in Gbao-Jarwodee. The gathering brought together 52 participants 38 women and 14 men—who engaged in discussions on social justice issues, women’s rights, and the critical role communities play in preventing violence and protecting women and girls.

Grounded in its commitment to human rights and social justice, ActionAid Liberia views this year’s theme as a call to action one that demands concrete and sustained efforts to dismantle the structural barriers that continue to limit women’s and girls’ full enjoyment of their rights and access to justice.

The theme strongly aligns with ActionAid Liberia’s Country Strategy Paper II, “Action for Rights and Social Justice,” reaffirming the organization’s dedication to promoting gender equality, strengthening women’s leadership, and advancing social justice across communities nationwide.

At the national level, the celebration also reflected the Government of Liberia’s theme, “Give to Gain; Support Women for National Development.” This message underscores a critical truth: investing in women is not an act of charity it is a strategic and evidence-based approach to driving inclusive development, strengthening institutions, and achieving lasting social transformation.

The Grand Gedeh celebration further reinforced the urgency of advancing gender equality at the community level. Participants left empowered, better informed, and motivated to continue advocating for women’s rights. They were also encouraged to report cases of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) through ActionAid’s hotline, 3636, strengthening community-level accountability and protection systems.

The event served as a strong reminder that achieving gender equality requires collective responsibility and sustained action beyond commemorative moments. Delivering the keynote address, UN Women representative Madam Oretha Bangura highlighted both progress and persistent gaps.

She acknowledged the strides women have made in leadership and governance at national and county levels, while emphasizing the ongoing challenges posed by socio-economic inequalities and harmful traditional practices. She called for urgent action to advance inclusive policies that strengthen women’s leadership, empowerment, and rights across Liberia.

Ultimately, the 2026 International Women’s Day celebration was not just a moment of reflection it was a renewed call to action. A call to invest in women, to challenge injustice, and to build a Liberia where every woman and girl can fully realize her rights and potential.