Source: Heritage
The Government of Liberia via the Ministry of Gender and Development has said no considerable improvement has been made by the state in the welfare of girls in the country, despite the launch of a special operation to improve their (girls) lives.

Gender Minister Julia Duncan-Cassell said, despite the launched of the special operation for girls entitled: "Save the Future," last year by President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf during observation of the International Women's Day, the future of girls remains under threat. She said there is an urgent need for stakeholders to address the situation urgently.

However, she said some gains have been made in school enrollment, acknowledging that the challenges "are still too huge". The Gender and Development Minister made these comments on Monday, October 8, 2012 in Monrovia while outlining several activities the government intends to undertake as part of the upcoming celebration of the International Day of the Girl Child in the country. The celebration is slated for 11 October.

The celebration of this day in Liberia, Minister Duncan-Cassell said, is aimed at exploring more opportunities for girls as well as increasing awareness of inequality they (girls) face. Minister Duncan-Cassell named access to legal rights, medical care, and protection from discrimination and violence among others as some of the inequality the girls face. .

She said activities the government has outlined on the observation of the International Day of the Girl Child in the country include street parade, tour to vulnerable communities such as West Point, Clara Town and Doe Community on the Bushrod Island. She pointed that the activities outlined will be channel under the general theme: "I Am Girl, I Am Not Your Wife" and is intended to raise the attention of stakeholders in the country about issues affecting girls.

The celebration is been supported by several international charitable organizations, including Plan-Liberia. The International Day of the Girl Child is an international observance day declared by the United Nations (UN) resolution 66170.

The United Nations General Assembly on Monday 2011voted in New York to designate October 11 as the International Day of the Girl Child, following a two-year campaign spearheaded by Plan International and sponsored by the Canadian government. This October 11, 2012, will be the first Day of the Girl since it was voted upon by the UN General Assembly. 

• Liberia