Public Opinion is Clear: Urgent Legislation Required to Protect Children from Sexual Exploitation! Read the story

Members

DCI-Liberia is an independent Liberia NGO established in March 2009 to promote and protect the rights of Liberian children. It develops its own programs according to Liberian children’s needs and priorities and is registered in accordance with the Liberian NGO Law. This body consists of two arms, the administrative/Management team and the Board of Directors. DCI-Liberia seeks to promote a peaceful and cohesive environment aimed at fostering advocacy for child survival, protection, participation and development efforts that are in the best interest of the child. It aims to enhance non-discrimination and access to justice and rehabilitation of children in conflict with the law and victims of human rights abuses. Its vision is to ensure that that the rights of every child are protected by law in Liberia.

Defence for Children International-Liberia

Contact: Foday M. Kawah, Executive Director
Phone: +231 88 640 7054
Address: Air Field New Road, Cheeseman Avenue, Monrovia, Liberia, West Africa
Email: dciliberia@gmail.com

Facts

According to UNICEF, 9% of girls were married by 15 and 36% before the age of 18 in 2016 in Liberia. In December 2016, Liberia launched the African Union campaign to end child marriage in Africa.

Most of the child victims trafficked in Liberia are exploited in domestic servitude, forced begging, sex trafficking or forced labour within the country, usually from rural to urban areas.

Resources

ECPAT International
Africa – Summary of Recommendations: Legal Interventions in Africa

Year: 2022

ECPAT International
Liberia – Legal Checklist: Key Legal Interventions to Protect Children from Sexual Exploitation in Travel and Tourism

Year: 2022

Download

Stories

News from Liberia

Indicators

Age of Consent

Partial

Age of sexual consent is 18 years. The national legislation does not provide for a close-in-age exception.

Analysis of country legislation on age of sexual consent, 2024

Extraterritoriality & Extradition

Partial

Extraterritoriality is provided for crimes committed partly within Liberia and when the offence involves entry of a person or property into Liberia. It is therefore unclear whether active extraterritoriality is provided for SEC related crimes. Passive extraterritoriality is not provided for. Double criminality does not apply in any of the above-mentioned cases.

Extradition applies to crimes include in each bilateral treaty ratified by Liberia. It is unclear whether double criminality is required for extradition.

SECTT Legal Checklist Liberia, 2020

CSAM Definition

Not Yet Assessed

Background Check Required

No

There are no mandatory legal provisions for criminal background checks nor legislation prohibiting convicted sex offenders to hold positions involving or facilitating contact with children.

SECTT Legal Checklist Liberia, 2020

National Commitments

No

Liberia has ratified the CRC, the Trafficking Protocol and the ILO Convention No. 182.

Liberia has also ratified the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child.

Liberia has not ratified the OPSC, the OPIC, the UNWTO Framework Convention on Tourism Ethics nor AU Convention on Cyber Security and the Council of Europe’s Lanzarote and Budapest Conventions.

SECTT Legal Checklist Liberia, 2020

Child Advocacy Centers

Not Yet Assessed

SEC Police Unit

Not Yet Assessed

Protection Standards Travel and Tourism

No

There are no child protection standards for the travel and tourism industry in place.

SECTT Legal Checklist Liberia, 2020

Public SEC Case Data

Not Yet Assessed