Buchanan, Liberia – March 30, 2026 – On the International Day of Zero Waste, the Natural Resource Women Platform (NRWP), in partnership with its Grand Bassa Natural Resource Rights Platform, joined community members in Buchanan to raise awareness and promote environmental responsibility.
In Big Fanti Town and Small Fanti Town, thirty women and youth mobilized as environmental champions, leading a clean-up exercise to restore community spaces. Their work was documented through “before” and “after” photos, which captured both the scale of the challenge and the transformative power of collective effort. The day concluded with a vibrant community parade, where participants carried posters with strong advocacy messages and delivered a formal statement calling attention to Liberia’s urgent waste crisis.
These actions reflect the deep commitment of communities to safeguard their environment. Yet, NRWP emphasizes that the responsibility for addressing waste and pollution cannot rest on communities alone. In coastal areas like Buchanan, weak waste management systems and rising industrial pollution continue to undermine food security, damage ecosystems, contaminate water sources, and threaten the health and livelihoods of women and small-scale fishers.
We therefore reiterate that businesses must take responsibility for preventing environmental harm and comply fully with environmental and human rights standards. The Government of Liberia must strengthen enforcement of environmental regulations and ensure that vulnerable communities are protected. Women and affected communities must be meaningfully included in decision-making processes that shape their environment and livelihoods.
Our collective call is clear:
Stronger monitoring and regulation of industrial activities
Transparent and inclusive environmental impact assessments
Access to information, participation, and justice for communities
Sustained investment in safe and sustainable waste management systems
Recognition and support for women’s leadership in environmental protection
Local action is vital, but achieving a zero-waste future requires systemic change, accountability, and inclusive governance. As a women-led platform, NRWP reaffirms that environmental protection is inseparable from gender justice, community rights, and sustainable development.
Protecting our coast means protecting our livelihoods, our health, and our future.