Monrovia, Liberia — As the world marks the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, the Natural Resource Women Platform (NRWP) is calling for urgent, coordinated, and sustained action to end violence against women, girls, gender-diverse people, and environmental defenders across Liberia.

Grassroots women, land and environmental defenders, climate activists, rural women, market women, and young women continue to face rising threats—violence, intimidation, discrimination, and denial of justice. Those who challenge land grabs, harmful investments, exploitation, and environmental destruction are often silenced or attacked, risking their safety for the sake of their communities and the planet.

In response, NRWP is launching “16 Demands for 16 Days”—a bold, actionable agenda urging government, policymakers, traditional leaders, the justice sector, development partners, and international actors to take decisive steps to end gender-based violence and protect women climate and environmental defenders.

The 16 Demands

• Fund Prevention & Response: Dedicate at least 5% of national budgets to GBV services, shelters, and prevention programs.
• Enact Comprehensive Laws: Criminalize all forms of GBV—domestic, sexual, psychological, and economic.
• Train the Judiciary: Mandatory gender-sensitive, trauma-informed training for law enforcement and justice actors.
• Mandate Consent Education: Integrate age-appropriate sexuality and consent education into schools.
• Zero Tolerance at Work: Enforce binding anti-sexual harassment policies in workplaces.
• Ensure Accessible Shelters: Expand inclusive emergency shelters nationwide.
• Integrate GBV Care: Guarantee free forensic exams, mental health support, and referral pathways in health facilities.
• Combat Online Violence: Strengthen laws and platform accountability for cyber-harassment.
• Center Male Accountability: Fund programs engaging men and boys as allies for equality.
• Collect Disaggregated Data: Publish national GBV data to drive evidence-based policy.
• Include All Survivors: Ensure full accessibility for survivors with disabilities.
• Reach Rural Areas: Expand mobile and community-based GBV services, especially for women defenders.
• Grant Economic Security: Provide financial assistance, job training, and micro-grants for survivors.
• Demand Ethical Reporting: Enforce media guidelines against victim-blaming and stereotypes.
• Ensure Women’s Representation: Guarantee women’s leadership in political, traditional, and community decision-making.
• Honor Human Rights Commitments: Fully implement CEDAW, the Maputo Protocol, and the Beijing Platform for Action.

“Violence against women is not only a personal tragedy—it is a national crisis. Every woman and girl deserves safety, dignity, and justice. These 16 demands are practical, urgent, and achievable. We call on the Government of Liberia and all stakeholders to act now.”

NRWP reaffirms its commitment to justice, accountability, and protection for all women and girls, especially grassroots women, environmental defenders, and climate activists who face heightened risks for their advocacy on behalf of communities, land, and the planet.