Putting People First: Liberia, Japan, and the UN Join Forces to Strengthen Education, Health, and Gender Systems

At a time when communities across Liberia are working hard to recover, rebuild, and reimagine their future, a powerful partnership is stepping forward with renewed commitment and hope.

On 27 April 2025, the Government of Liberia, the Government of Japan, and the United Nations officially launched the 2025 Japan Supplementary Budget Projects at the One UN House in Sinkor. The multi‑sector initiative marks a significant milestone in Liberia’s journey to strengthen education, healthcare, gender equality, and disaster resilience—placing people, especially children and women, at the center of national development efforts.

Investing Where It Matters Most: The Liberian Child

Speaking at the launch, Minister of Education Dr. Jaso Jallah emphasized that real progress in education goes beyond classrooms and textbooks. It is shaped by children’s health, safety, access to water and sanitation, and overall wellbeing.

“Attendance, wellbeing, and basic conditions all influence how a child engages in school,” the Minister noted. “When these factors are addressed together, learning becomes more consistent and meaningful.”

The projects align closely with Pillar Six of Liberia’s ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development, which prioritizes human capital development through coordinated action across education, health, gender, protection, and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH). Central to this approach is strengthening national systems so that results are not only immediate, but sustainable.

To support this vision, the Ministry of Education will introduce digital supervision and monitoring tools, using georeferenced data to improve accountability, oversight, and timely responses to challenges at school and community levels.

Partnerships That Strengthen Systems and Communities

UN Resident Coordinator Christine Umutoni described the initiative as a community‑focused response grounded in strong national ownership.

“These projects are designed to strengthen national systems while expanding essential services for women, girls, adolescents, and vulnerable populations,” she said.

Funded by the Government of Japan, the initiative brings together UNICEF, UNFPA, and UN Women, each leading targeted interventions that reinforce one another:

• UNICEF will strengthen emergency WASH systems in flood‑prone and outbreak‑affected communities while also improving school effectiveness through digital innovation and child‑level monitoring.
• UNFPA will support the maintenance of life‑saving biomedical equipment through technical cooperation with Japan, including the establishment of Liberia’s first biomedical technician training programme—a major step toward improving healthcare quality and reliability.
• UN Women will work to strengthen gender‑responsive disaster resilience and advance human security for women and girls, particularly in the most vulnerable communities.

Together, these investments aim to build resilient systems that can withstand shocks and better serve communities over the long term.

Aligning with National Priorities and Global Goals

Representing the UN system, UNFPA Deputy Representative Leonard Kamugisha highlighted the significance of launching the projects during the first year of implementation of Liberia’s new UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework.

He stressed that close alignment with national priorities provides a strong foundation for achieving lasting impact and accelerating progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). He also called on communities and local institutions to champion the projects as their own—ensuring continuity and scalability long after the initial funding period.

A Shared Commitment to Human Security

For Japan’s Ambassador to Liberia, Yoshimoto Hiroshi, the initiative reflects Japan’s enduring commitment to human security and resilience.

Japan’s support focuses on sectors that directly affect daily life—safe schools, functional health facilities, disaster preparedness, and protection for women and girls—areas that form the backbone of resilient societies.

Measuring Success Where It Counts

Bringing together senior government officials, UN agency heads, development partners, and members of the diplomatic corps, the launch sent a clear message: meaningful development requires coordination, trust, and shared accountability.

As implementation begins, partners agree that success will not be measured by the size of budgets or the number of projects launched—but by real improvements in classrooms, clinics, and communities across Liberia.

For the Government and its partners, the goal remains clear: stronger systems, deeper partnerships, and visible change where it matters most—at the level of the Liberian child, family, and community.