Investing in Care is Investing in Liberia's Future: UN Women Launches Liberia Care Snapshot

– UN Women Liberia, with support from the Governments of Norway and Sweden, has officially launched the Liberia Care Snapshot, a landmark rapid assessment that highlights the critical role of paid and unpaid care work in driving inclusive economic growth and advancing women's economic empowerment.

The launch follows the Regional Dialogue on Advancing Care Economies and Systems in West and Central Africa, held virtually on 4 June 2026, which also marked the regional launch of the Care Snapshots. The dialogue brought together more than 100 participants from across West and Central Africa, including government representatives, development partners, civil society organizations, the private sector, researchers, and regional institutions.

The Care Snapshots assessed the current state of paid and unpaid care work in ten countries across the region. They provide evidence to inform innovative, high-quality, and sustainable public policies, services, and investments that strengthen care systems while advancing gender equality and sustainable development.

With many countries facing limited fiscal space, the Care Snapshots demonstrate that investing in the care economy is not simply a social priority, it is a significant economic opportunity. Across West and Central Africa, reducing the unequal distribution of unpaid care work and enabling women's full participation in the labour market could increase regional GDP by an estimated 6 to 10 per cent.

The national launch of the Liberia Care Snapshot marks an important milestone in initiating a structured national policy dialogue on strengthening the country's care economy, learning from 2024 Ganta Declaration and Call to Action. The Liberia Care Snapshot is co-led by national authorities and the launch convened 50 representatives from the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MGCSP), Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Ministry of Mines and Energy, Liberia Institute for Statistics and Geo-Information Services (LISGIS), Liberia Business Association (LIBA), Central Bank of Liberia, Orange Foundation, ActionAid Liberia, civil society organizations, academia, youth groups, the media, development partners and private sector.

Participants reviewed the report's findings and engaged in an interactive dialogue on the policy actions needed to strengthen Liberia's care economy.

Presenting the findings, John Solunta Smith Jr., UN Women Liberia's Feminist Economist Specialist/Gender and Economic Policy Specialist, highlighted the enormous economic contribution of women and the transformative potential of investments in care:

• Liberian women contribute USD 1.08 billion annually through market-based economic activities.
• Women contribute an additional USD 530 million each year through unpaid care and domestic work.
• Closing gender gaps could increase Liberia's GDP by as much as 23.7 per cent.
• Strategic investments in childcare and eldercare services could increase GDP by up to 19.3 per cent.

He also emphasized that across West and Central Africa, addressing the unequal distribution of care responsibilities could boost regional GDP by an estimated 6–10 per cent by enabling more women to participate fully in the labor force.

Speaking at the launch, UN Women Liberia Representative Dr. Abul Hasnat Monjurul Kabir underscored that care work is fundamental to Liberia's economic development.

"Women contribute an estimated USD 530 million annually through unpaid care and domestic work, in addition to more than USD 1 billion in market-based economic output. Strategic investments in childcare, eldercare and other care services have the potential to stimulate economic growth, create decent jobs, reduce poverty and expand opportunities for women and families across Liberia. Investing in care is therefore not a cost, it is a smart investment that yields substantial social and economic returns."

Delivering remarks on behalf of the Government of Liberia, Deputy Minister for Research, Policy and Planning at the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Hon. Curtis V. Dorley, reflected on Liberia's participation in the regional launch and reaffirmed the Government's commitment to advancing the care agenda.

"The message from the region is clear: care is not a social cost. Care is a productive investment."

He noted that as Liberia advances implementation of the ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development, investments in childcare services, social protection, water and sanitation, clean energy access, family-friendly workplace policies, and services for older persons and persons with disabilities must be recognized as strategic national development priorities.

Officially launching the Liberia Care Snapshot, Hon. Dorley emphasized that sound public policy must be grounded in credible evidence.

"This report is more than a diagnostic assessment—it is a public policy roadmap. Its findings should guide future legislation, inform national planning, strengthen budget prioritization, influence development programming, and ultimately improve the everyday lives of all Liberians."

During the discussion that followed, participants agreed that the regional evidence reflects a common reality: unpaid care work continues to be borne disproportionately by women. They emphasized that recognizing, reducing and redistributing unpaid care work is essential to achieving gender equality, expanding women's economic opportunities and accelerating national development.

Participants further agreed that investing in care is a proven pathway to reducing poverty, creating jobs and strengthening resilient communities. They called on government, the private sector, academia, civil society organizations, development partners and the media to work together to develop evidence-based policies and programs that recognize, value and support care work as a cornerstone of Liberia's sustainable development.