President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr., has called for accelerated efforts aimed at addressing the challenges of “street children” in Liberia and the world.
The President delivered remarks today at a high-level discussion on “Advancing Universal Primary Education for Street-Connected Children amid Climate Change, Poverty, and Conflict,” held at the A&O Sherman Office on Lexington Avenue in New York.
The event, organized by Street Child and Liberia’s Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, headed by Minister Gbeme Kollie Horace highlighted the urgent need to support and protect vulnerable children living on the streets, both in Liberia and globally.
President Boakai highlighted pressing challenges facing street-connected children in Liberia, revealing alarming statistics from a 2022 joint assessment by the Government of Liberia and UNICEF.
The “Roadmap on Street Children Situation” estimates that over 366,000 children in Liberia are living in street situations, with Montserrado County alone accounting for 42% of the total.
These children, he emphasized, are deprived of basic rights such as access to education, healthcare, and safety, and are vulnerable to exploitation, malnutrition, and violence.
The President highlighted the launch of the “SUPPORT A CHILD, SAVE THE FUTURE” initiative earlier on August 28, 2024, in collaboration with Street Child Liberia.
This transformative program, he furthered, is aimed at addressing the root causes of child poverty and homelessness, providing education, healthcare, and family support to street children.
“These children are not mere statistics. They are young lives lived in the shadows, struggling to survive with no access to the education and safety every child deserves,” President Boakai stated.
He disclosed that, in response to this crisis, the Government of Liberia has developed a five-year project aimed at reducing the number of street-connected children.
The pilot phase will focus on Montserrado County, with a goal to remove 7,698 children from the streets and integrate them into the educational system.
Additionally, efforts will be made to empower caregivers, particularly mothers, through small business and agricultural initiatives.
The Liberian Leader also praised Street Child International’s commitment to enrolling 50,000 children in child-care and family-strengthening programs over the next six years, emphasizing that these initiatives are not just immediate responses, but long-term solutions.
The President called on international partners, stakeholders, and global leaders to join forces in addressing this urgent crisis.
“We must rally around these children, providing practical solutions and unwavering support. Together, we can secure a future where every child has the opportunity to thrive,” The President said.
The event showed Liberia’s commitment to tackling the root causes of child poverty and homelessness, even as the nation grapples with broader socio-economic challenges exacerbated by climate change, conflict, and poverty.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Republic of Liberia: Executive Mansion.
