OCTOBER 2006

UNICEF HUMANITARIAN ACTION: LIBERIA

Liberia – UNICEF Briefing Note July 2006 Liberia – UNICEF Briefing Note October 2006 2 UNICEF HUMANITARIAN ACTION IN 2006 - LIBERIA

Funds Received Against Appeal

Sector 2006 appeal Funds received Gaps Health and Nutrition $7,614,600 $2,847,300 $4,767,300 Water and Sanitation $4,670,025 $4,052,113 $617,911 Education $4,510,000 $1,111,557 $3,398,443 Child Protection $4,050,400 $4,020,769 $29,630 Total $20,845,025 $12,554,561 $8,813,284

UNICEF Liberia works to advance the Millennium Development Goals by supporting child health and nutrition, quality basic education for all boys and girls, access to safe water and sanitation, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and HIV/AIDS. In collaboration with the Government of Liberia, UNICEF is helping more than 1 million children go to school, training thousands of teachers, and advocating for Girls’ Education; protecting more than 1.1 million children from vaccine-preventable diseases like polio and measles (and expanding vaccine coverage to protect mothers’ and newborns’ from tetanus); working to provide a basic formal primary education or vocational skills training to 10,000 children formerly associated with the fighting forces (CAFF) and developing systems to ensure the respect and fulfilment of children’s rights; and taking on cholera and diarrhoea by building wells and latrine facilities at 1,100 schools, benefiting 220,000 students.

Emergency Overview and Critical Issues for Children and Women

Liberia continues as a difficult implementing environment Photo: Robert Grossman but with a newly elected Government led by President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and with an improving yet fragile security climate, UNICEF’s programme management environment is opportunistic in building on the significant results for children and women that have already been achieved by UNICEF and its partners so far in 2006.

Despite opportunities for positive change, especially through the new Governance & Economic Management Assistance Programme (GEMAP) that places World Bank officials and other technocrats inside Government Ministries and Agencies to promote fiscal accountability, Government’s capacity in all aspects remains extremely limited, none more so than in the delivery of basic social services. It is estimated that UN/NGOs/CBOs are directly funding 85% of activities in the areas of health, education, and water and sanitation. Institutional capacity was decimated during the 14-year war (1989-2003) and most institutions – including Government Ministries -- lack essential equipment and supplies. Monrovia – home to an estimated one of out three Liberians -- remains a capital city with limited electricity and piped water and where the population is threatened by malaria (the country’s biggest child killer), endemic cholera, and HIV/AIDS. With a population of more than 3.2 million, there are only 28 Liberian doctors working in the country (including three

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. Liberia – UNICEF Briefing Note October 2006 3 paediatricians). Liberia continues to be among the most food insecure countries with an estimated 35% of the population undernourished and one of the world’s highest rates of child stunting at 39%. The wasting rate for Liberian children is 7 percent and 25 percent are underweight. The country’s estimated 2005 Human Development Index is 0.319, well below the estimated 0.515 for sub-Saharan Africa.

A number of post-conflict transitional activities will continue through 2006. Those most relevant to the UNICEF’s Country Programme will be the re-establishment of the rule of law and local government and the repatriation of refugees. On April 20, the Vice President of Liberia declared the IDP return process completed and overall 321,745 IDPs were provided with humanitarian return assistance. To date, UNHCR has assisted 71,267 Liberian refugees to return home (162,038 Liberian refugees remain registered with UNHCR in other nations). Security Level Phase 4 is in effect in four counties that border Cote d’Ivoire. Security Level Phase 3 is in place elsewhere, including Monrovia. While security is improving, unpredictable threats remain, especially in the Mano River Union from a potential overspill of a humanitarian emergency in Guinea or Cote d’Ivoire.

Despite limited capacity and government presence, large-scale initiatives of government reform and rebuilding are being supported by partners such as the World Bank, USAID, the Government of the United Kingdom, the Government of Japan, the Government of Sweden, and the European Commission. The United Nations in Liberia is an integrated mission with a UNCT working as a pilot country on the humanitarian cluster system. UNICEF, as the lead UN agency in nutrition and water under the humanitarian cluster approach, is also expected to be part of the protection, health, and early recovery clusters.

UNICEF’s Programme Strategy: Seven Focus Counties

UNICEF Liberia’s Country Programme focuses on # the re-establishment of basic social services; strengthening the reintegration of demobilized E N Lofa O children associated with the fighting forces E G L U A IN (CAFF); and supporting the resettlement of R E R A refugees. As in 2005, the majority of UNICEF’s IE S Gbarpolu e # interventions this year are in seven focus counties: ap C t C d n O Bomi, Bong, Grand Gedeh, Lofa, Margibi, n u # ra o # T E Maryland, Montserrado, and Nimba. These G M # Bong Nimba D # Bomi ' counties suffered high-levels of destruction during IV Margibi O the war and today need urgent humanitarian # I # R E action, especially as refugees and IDPs return to Monrovia %[ Grand s rebuild their lives and their country. Additionally, Bassa s # Montserrado e the majority of demobilized CAFF who have been # C Grand Gedeh A r reunified with their families reside in these seven T e L v LEGEND A i N R counties. T # %[ Monrovia IC O River Gee # County Capitals C Sinoe # E unicef county of focus A N # N Ma Priorities for UNICEF in Liberia G r rand K yland # ru 40 0 40 80 Kilometers

# • Reducing the infant, under-five, and maternal mortality rates by supporting critical interventions in primary health care services, nutrition, and support of the national Expanded Programme on Immunization; • Supplying wells, hand pumps, and latrine facilities to schools and healthcare facilities; • Rebuilding Liberia’s public school system. UNICEF has provided educational materials to over 1 million children and trained almost 1,000 classroom instructors, including more than 600 women; • Developing systems and measures for protecting children, including the reintegration of demobilized children and the prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse.

Liberia – UNICEF Briefing Note October 2006 4 Health and Nutrition Programme

2006 Principle Targets Progress To Date Sustain DPT3 coverage above 80% and vaccinate 201,630 vaccinated as of June 2006. Measles coverage rate is 94% 114,000 children under age one. and DPT3 is 87%. Last year, UNICEF supported the vaccination of more than 1.1 million Liberian children against polio. Launch national tetanus vaccination campaign and Campaign launched 27 June 2006 with goal of administering 3 doses eliminate maternal and neonatal tetanus (MNT) by 2008. of tetanus toxiod to 258,000 women of child bearing age by March 2007. Install 165 solar refrigerators to healthcare facilities in 50 installed. hard to reach areas. Deliver 16 vehicles to county EPI teams. Will be delivered end of October 2006. Provide midlevel management training to 52 healthcare Completed July 2006. workers. Partnering with WFP, work to prevent malnutrition Ongoing in all 120 communities. through micronutrient supplementation (Vitamin A and iron/folate), growth monitoring, and exclusive breastfeeding promotion in 120 communities. Nutritional and food supplies, plus operational funding Ongoing at all 3 centres. support, to 3 therapeutic feeding centres. Support, maintain, and reactivate 27 health clinics. 22 health clinics reactivated to date. Establish two centres for Prevention of Mother to Child 4 centres identified. Transmission services.

Government of Japan; Swedish International Development 2006 Major Donors to Health and Nutrition Cooperation Agency; Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration; Programme: Government of the Netherlands; and the Canadian International Development Agency.

Liberia has the world’s fifth worst level in under five, infant, and maternal mortality rates. The under five mortality rate for Liberia is as high as 235 per 1,000 live births (the MDG target set for 2015 is 74 per 1,000 live births). UNICEF’s Health and Nutrition Section is working with partners to reduce child and maternal mortality, build capacity of communities to manage primary health care, and provide high immunization coverage through three main projects: Immunization “Plus,” Maternal and Child Health, and Maternal and Child Nutrition. A multisectoral programmatic response to HIV/AIDS is also part of the child health programme.

Building on successes and lessons learned from emergency vaccination campaigns in 2003-2005 -- last year UNICEF supported the vaccination of more than 1 million children against polio and Liberia’s measles coverage rate is 94% -- UNICEF is continuing to reinforce Expanded Programme of Immunization (EPI) activities which protect children and women against seven preventable deadly diseases: tuberculosis, diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, measles, yellow fever, and polio. With UNICEF’s support, measles and DPT3 coverage levels have progressed to 94% and 87% in 2005, up from 42% and 31% in 2004. For the first time in Liberia, a national tetanus vaccination campaign got underway in July that aims to reach 800,000 women of child Photo: Robert Grossman Grossman Robert Photo: bearing age and eliminate maternal and neonatal tetanus in the A child receiving Vitamin A-supplementation. country by 2008. According to a 2001 health survey, tetanus was the second major cause of morbidity for children in Liberia under age one (malaria is the first). For malaria prevention, insecticide treated nets to 147,000 pregnant women and children under the age of five will be distributed by the end of this year. To support immunization services in hard to reach areas, UNICEF is working to install 95 solar and 100 kerosene refrigerators that will store vaccines at correct temperatures and is providing 90 waste disposal incinerators to EPI healthcare facilities for safe medical waste disposal. To expand EPI activities in hard to reach areas, UNICEF is providing county EPI teams with 16 vehicles. Fifteen computers are being supplied to County Health Teams for data management and processing UNICEF is

Liberia – UNICEF Briefing Note October 2006 5 also helping to support, maintain, and reactivate 27 health clinics (over 95 percent of the Liberia’s health facilities that operated before the war were destroyed or badly damaged).

Working closely with the Government, UNICEF is providing technical and financial support to the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare’s Health Policy Reform and National Health Development Plan of Action. As cluster lead in nutrition, and in close collaboration with the World Food Programme, national treatment # Total Population: 3,285,000 protocols and strategies addressing moderate E N Lofa malnutrition in Liberia have been developed and are O E G L U being implemented this year. UNICEF is also A IN R E supporting a National Nutrition Policy and Plan of R Gbarpolu A IE S pe Action and is working to prevent malnutrition a # C d t n un C through micronutrient supplementation (Vitamin A ra o O G M # # T and iron/folate), growth monitoring, and exclusive Nimba E # D breastfeeding promotion in 120 communities. De- # Bong ' Bomi IV Margibi O worming activities are underway in 250 schools, # I # R benefiting 25,000 children. In September, UNICEF E Monrovia %[ Grand M launched a national campaign to provide more than on Bassa s t s ser # rad e 500,000 children with Vitamin A and de-worming o c # r e LEGEND A v Grand Gedeh Albendazole tablets. T i %[ Monrovia LA R # County Capitals N T # Sinoe UNICEF is the lead agency for children affected by Population per county IC River Gee 46272 - 99999 O C # HIV/AIDS. This year, UNICEF is working to E 100000 - 250000 A N # establish 4 centres that will offer Prevention of 250001 - 500000 Mar 500001 - 907257 Grand yl Mother to Child Transmission services and help Kru and N # implement a HIV/AIDS communication strategy for 50 0 50 100 Kilometers adolescents. Life Skills training will be offered in # 200 public schools by the end of the year. The national prevalence of HIV/AIDS in Liberia is not known but a 2001 estimate puts infection rates at 8.2 percent – although for adolescents it is thought to be significantly higher. It is unlikely the MDG for HIV/AIDS will be met.

UNICEF is also supporting the Government’s Avian Influenza Task Force by leading on programme communications. A national AHI preparedness plan has been adopted by the Government and the National AHI Task Force – chaired by the Ministry of Agriculture – is working to implement the plan. UNICEF is supporting public awareness campaigns and training workshops for the national media, community radio stations, and so far 10 of the country’s 15 County AHI Task Forces.

Liberia – UNICEF Briefing Note October 2006 6 Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Promotion Programme

2006 Principle Targets Progress To Date Build institutional latrines at 300 schools and 50 health 139 institutional latrines built. centres. Install 600 water points in schools and communities. 165 installed. Rehabilitate 718 community water points. 38 rehabilitated. Support hygiene promotion by partnering with community 2-day training and awareness raising workshop held for community radio stations. radio stations from all 15 counties in May. Stations now broadcasting cholera and diarrhoea PSAs. 10 County Superintendents and Health Teams have received cholera and diarrhoea awareness and response training and plan is on course to train all 15 counties by end October 2006. Install 4,000 gallon storage capacity water towers at the Both installed. A.M. Dogliotti College of Medicine, University of Liberia, and Catholic Hospital in Monrovia.

Government of Japan; Department for International Development of 2006 Major Donors to Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Promotion Programme: the United Kingdom; UNICEF UK; Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration; and the Government of Norway.

Less than one in four Liberians has access to safe water. In 2006, the Water and Sanitation programme is focused on the provision of safe water and sanitation to schools and health facilities together with participatory hygiene promotion. Photo: Ahmed Jallenzo Jallenzo Ahmed Photo:

This year, UNICEF is supplying wells, hand pumps, and latrine facilities to 1,000 schools, benefiting approximately 220,000 students (with separate latrines for girls, boys, and teachers); providing safe water supplies and latrines at 90 health facilities; and constructing 10,000 family latrines, 825 hand washing facilities, and 140 water points (and rehabilitating 60 more); installing 155 waste disposal facilities; and holding 400 participatory hygiene promotion sessions held in schools.

In Liberia, diarrhoea and cholera are major child killers. Diarrhoea is responsible for 22% of the deaths in children under 5 and cholera is endemic. In July, UNICEF supplied the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare

Liberia – UNICEF Briefing Note October 2006 7 with 20 motorcycles to conduct cholera and diarrhoea outreach efforts in hard-to-reach communities. “The motorcycles will be used to gather data that will aid in the targeting of affected communities with interventions in hygiene improvement to significantly reduce cholera and diarrhoea cases,” said the Minister of Health and Social Welfare, the Hon. Walter Gwenigale, MD. To protect children from these preventable water-borne diseases, UNICEF is working with its partners to develop and implement a community-based hygiene promotion campaign. This campaign teaches families and communities about simple hygiene measures. UNICEF also responds to cholera outbreaks and diarrhoea hot spots. When a cholera outbreak occurred in Grand Bassa County in August, during the height of Liberia’s six-month long rainy season, UNICEF and its partners built five wells in affected communities, distributed 600 jerry cans, 5,000 oral rehydration sachets, 3,750 water purification tablets, 10 sanitation platforms, 17 cartons of soap, and 225 kgs of chlorine.

With an emphasis on rehabilitation rather # than construction, the programme places Access to Safe Water by priority on the development of a E Lofa County, March 2005 community based maintenance system N O E G with the aim to bring a more realistic L U A IN balance between the construction and R E R A rehabilitation and behavioural change. IE S Gbarpolu e # Hygiene promotion and behavioural ap C change is also promoted through UNICEF d t C n n O ra ou # partnerships with religious organizations, # T G M E # Bong UNMIL Radio, and 15 community radio Nimba D # ' stations. Another key programme Bomi IV Margibi O # I component is repairing community and # R E school hand pumps, and when necessary, Monrovia %[ Grand replacing pumps and supplying spare s Bassa s # e parts. The programme supports the use c Montserrado r # e Grand Gedeh v of Participatory Hygiene and Sanitation A i LEGEND T Transformation (PHAST) to promote L R %[ Monrovia A N hygiene practices. # County Capitals T # IC River Gee Access to Safe Water (%) O Sinoe C # As the lead UN agency for water in the 11 - 19 E N A 20 - 29 # cluster system, UNICEF’s role in sector N M 30 - 39 G ar coordination is helping to develop a rand y 67 Kru la National Country Plan for Cholera No data # nd Prevention and Control, along with 40 0 40 80 Kilometers Integrated Water Resources Management. # UNICEF’s WES section is also working with partners on capacity building for emergency preparedness and response, especially if a humanitarian emergency in a neighbouring country leads to refugees fleeing to Liberia for safety.

Liberia – UNICEF Briefing Note October 2006 8 Education Programme

2006 Principle Targets Progress to Date Partner with the GOL to Launch National Girls’ Education President Sirleaf launched the policy in April 2006. Currently working Policy. with the Ministry of Education to open Girls’ Education Unit. Provide 400,000 public school students at 2,000 public Completed June 2006. schools with supplies. Provide furniture to 100 ALP schools. Distribution of 10,000 3-seat benches began July 2006. Train 500 classroom instructors to complete their primary 400 trained to date. school teaching credential. Provide Life skills instruction materials to 600 public 150 schools have received to date. schools. Enrol 30,000 over-age children, including demobilized Target met. CAFF, into the Accelerated Learning Programme.

Department for International Development of the United Kingdom; German National Committee for UNICEF; Finnish National Committee 2006 Major Donors to Education Programme: for UNICEF; National Committee of the Netherlands; U.S. Fund for UNICEF.

Photo: RobertGrossman The quality of Liberia’s education sector has been declining for two decades, when low salaries and deteriorating conditions of work started driving qualified teachers out of public schools. Today, about 65% of the children in primary and secondary schools in Liberia are taught by unqualified teachers. Gross enrolment in primary and secondary schools nationwide is just about half of the population of children of school-going age (6-18 years). While the gender gap in education has reduced since 1989, there are still approximately 3 boys to 2 girls in primary and secondary schools and more than 3 boys to 1 girl at tertiary levels. Pressures for girls to work and high teenage pregnancy are among the reasons for the disparities. Liberia can make real progress to the realization of full education (MDG 2) by 2015, but needs to work hard and fast to do so.

In April, President Sirleaf launched the Government’s Girls’ Education National Policy that calls for meeting MDG 2 by providing free and compulsory primary school and reducing secondary school fees by 50 percent and recruiting and training more female teachers. The Government also supports the creation of a new and separate Girls’ Education Unit at the Ministry of Education.

The needs continue to be enormous, however, especially as refugees return home in large numbers, creating an urgent need for schools. With only 12% of Liberia’s girls graduating from secondary school, and with less than one of five teachers in public schools female, support is urgently needed for UNICEF’s Girls’ Education programme – including teacher training initiatives that are bringing hundreds of Liberian women into classrooms.

Liberia – UNICEF Briefing Note October 2006 9 # Total: 961,114 To help rebuild Liberia’s public school system, and to strengthen the capacity of the Ministry of E Lofa Girls: 452,240 N Education, UNICEF this year is providing essential O E G Boys: 508,874 L U learning material and other supplies to 400,000 A IN R E R Gbarpolu A students at 2,000 public schools in all of Liberia’s IE S 15 counties; needed school furniture to 100 public e # ap C d t C schools (including 10,000 three-seat benches) in n un O ra o # # T five counties; logistic and technical support to G M Nimba E # D county and district Government education officials; # Bomi Bong ' IV Margibi O and supporting the Accelerated Learning Program # I # R E (ALP) by training an additional 160 teachers and Monrovia %[ Grand M providing refresher training for another 1,000 on Bassa s tse s # rra e do c instructors. ALP addresses the needs of an r # LEGEND e Monrovia A v Grand Gedeh estimated 400,000 children (or approximately half of %[ T i # County Capitals LA R the total student population) whose education has Enrolment by gender N T # Sinoe Boys IC River Gee been interrupted or absent due to the years of girls O C # School Enrolment E armed conflict. UNICEF worked to re-launch ALP, N A 6603 - 25000 # N M which condenses six years of primary schooling into 25001 - 50000 a 71890 Grand ryl Kru a three years of intensive activities to enable children 163253 & 402373 # nd 40 0 40 80 Kilometers and youth make up for the lost educational years,

# and provide special classrooms where children who are over aged are assured of resuming their education. In addition to special teacher training, schools that offer ALP can cater to all school aged children and receive additional supplies including recreation kits, school gardens, and other support. Speaking of the 10,000 three-seat benches, the Hon. Minister of Education, Joseph Korto, Ph.D. said, “There’s no such time than now that our schools are need of furniture. They were massively looted during the war and most of them remain without basic furniture. So these benches are very helpful, as we strive rebuild our educational system.”

UNICEF’s support of the Ministry of Education this year is also funding the training of almost 500 classroom instructors to complete their primary school teaching credential. This credential, condensed into 12 weeks from its traditional one-year length, offers student-centred learning approaches and the opportunity to increase the quality of primary education. Life skills is being offered at the teacher training sessions, with an emphasis on HIV/AIDs prevention, reproductive health, and gender-related issues. All teachers will also receive instruction on ALP methodologies and will be able to teach in the Life skills program.

Liberia – UNICEF Briefing Note October 2006 10 Child Protection Programme

2006 Principle Targets Progress to Date Provide 5,000 demobilized CAFF with access to basic 3,639 (2,647 boys and 992 girls) demobilized CAFF are enrolled in formal primary education through the Community formal education through CEIP. As part of CEIP, 3,363 teachers have Education Investment Programme. received psycho-social helping skills and are now able to provide trauma counselling to children affected by armed conflict.* Provide 5,000 demobilized CAFF with skills training 3,178 (2,661 boys and 517 girls) are currently enrolled in skills training programme. and apprenticeship programmes, while 1,091 (671 boys and 420 girls) demobilized CAFF have completed skills training and apprenticeship programmes.* Follow-up visits with 11,780 demobilized CAFF. 8,383 completed.* Renovate 9 Liberian National Police Women and Children 5 completed in 3 counties. Protection Unit stations in 6 counties. Train 15 LNP trainers in child rights and protection. 16 trained. Support safe house for women and child survivors of rape Ongoing. Target was to receive 135 beneficiaries this year – to date, and gender based violence. 91 beneficiaries (75% children). Establish transit centres for juveniles as alternative to 2 centres opened and to date have received 75 beneficiaries. detention with adults. Support assessment of orphanages to ensure that the Assessment of 111 orphanages with 4,840 children completed in care and protection services provided to children living in February. 48 orphanages recommended for accreditation while 67 orphanages meets basic international standards and recommended for closure. 411 children from orphanages protects the best interests of children. recommended for closure reunified with their families. Financial and technical support to National Child Rights Ongoing. NACROG has documented and followed-up 154 child rights Observatory Group (NACROG). violations and action taken in approximately 85% of cases. Truth and Reconciliation Commission support. Trained 9 TRC members on the participation and protection of children as part of TRC process. 192 statement takers trained to take statements from children. *includes progress completed in 2005.

European Commission; Government of Japan; Government of Ireland; 2006 Major Donors to Child Protection Programme: Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency; the Government of the Netherlands.

UNICEF is the lead international child protection agency in Liberia, undertaking and coordinating interventions with NGO partners, including the reintegration of Children Associated with the Fighting Forces (CAFF), preventing sexual abuse and exploitation, responding to the care and protection needs of children without primary care givers, and establishing systems for the protection of children’s rights. UNICEF and its partners are guiding efforts to improve capacity of the Government to implement the Convention on the Rights of the Child at both the national and community level.

Photo: Ben Lievens Lievens Ben Photo: Through the disarmament and demobilization process, a total of 11,780 CAFF were reached. A key to the success of the DDRR process is education and skills training. This year, UNICEF is continuing to work to place 5,000 demobilized children into the Community Education Investment Programme (CEIP), which provides access to basic formal primary education in government and community schools, and an additional 5,000 into skills training. The skills training programme includes options such as agriculture, animal husbandry, mechanics, carpentry, cosmetology, masonry, tailoring, and baking. The training lasts between 6 and 9 months, and also includes basic literacy and numeracy instruction, psycho-social counselling, recreation, and business development. Children are also provided with tool kits for their trade to learn with and to use upon their graduation. Additionally, teachers have been trained to provide psycho-social services to ex-CAFF through creative and recreational activities. To date, 3,639 (2,647 boys and 992 girls) demobilized CAFF are enrolled in formal education through CEIP. As part of CEIP, 3,363 teachers have received psycho-social helping skills and are now able to provide trauma counselling to children affected by armed conflict. 3,178 (2,661 boys and 517

Liberia – UNICEF Briefing Note October 2006 11 girls) are currently enrolled in skills training and apprenticeship programmes, while 1,091 (671 boys and 420 girls) demobilized CAFF have completed skills training and apprenticeship programmes. As of August, UNICEF and its partners have held follow-up sessions with 6,588 demobilized CAFF to assess their reintegration progress.

Through implementing partners, UNICEF is helping to build community based support networks -- such as child welfare committees, children clubs, and youth groups -- in the seven focus counties, which provide essential psycho-social and family reunification/tracing support to vulnerable children. In border areas, these networks are working to monitor and prevent the re-recruitment of demobilised CAFF.

UNICEF is working to ensure its staff and NGO partners implement the Secretary-General’s “Bulletin on Protection Against Sexual Abuse and Exploitation.” UNICEF is collaborating with the UN Civilian Police in the training of the new Liberian National Police on child rights, child protection, and on the management and investigation of sexual and gender based violence cases. UNICEF is working with the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and NGO partners to ensure that the care and protection services provided to children living in orphanages meet basic international standards and protects the best interests of children.

The Children’s Unit in the Ministry of Gender and Development is also being strengthened this year to monitor implementation of the UNCRC and the recommendations of the Committee on the Rights of the Child. In support of juvenile justice, UNICEF is supporting the National Child Rights Observatory Group (NACROG), an independent body for monitoring and following up on child rights violations. NACROG is currently working in four counties. UNICEF and the American Bar Association Africa Programme are partnering on an assessment of the juvenile justice system in Liberia. As an alternative to detention with adult prisoners, and partnering with a national NGO THINK, UNICEF is supporting two transit centres (one for girls and one for boys) for children who are in contact with the law.

With funding support from the Government of Japan, UNICEF is supporting Liberia’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) and has trained 9 TRC members on the participation and protection of children as part of a TRC process. Four out of 9 TRC commissioners are female.

Cover Photo Credit: UNICEF/Liberia/2005/Robert Grossman

Liberia – UNICEF Briefing Note October 2006 12