Liberia, Japan, UN Launch Multi-Sector Projects to Transform Education, Health and Gender Systems - FrontPageAfrica

Monrovia-The Government of Liberia, in partnership with the Government of Japan and the United Nations, on Monday, April 27, officially launched the 2025 Japan Supplementary Budget Projects at the One UN House in Sinkor, marking a major step toward strengthening national systems in education, health, gender equality, and disaster resilience.

By: Willie N. Tokpah

Speaking at the high-level ceremony held at the One UN House in Sinkor, Education Minister Dr. Jaso Jallah positioned the initiative as a cardinal pillar in Liberia’s development agenda, emphasizing that the success of the program, will depend on how well it strengthens national systems and delivers measurable impact at the level of the child.

“This initiative reflects a clear understanding that education outcomes are not shaped by instruction alone,” the Minister said.

“Attendance, well-being, safety, and basic conditions all influence how a child engages in school. When these factors are addressed together, learning becomes more consistent and meaningful.”

Minister Jallah highlighted that the projects align directly with Pillar Six of the government’s ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development, which prioritizes human capital development through coordinated interventions across education, health, gender, protection, and water, sanitation, and hygiene, WASH.

Central to the Minister’s approach is the strengthening of monitoring and accountability systems, including the introduction of digital supervision tools supported by georeferenced data.

According to Minister Jallah, this innovation will improve oversight, enhance responsiveness, and ensure that gaps in school performance are identified and addressed more efficiently.

However, Minister Jallah cautioned that sustainability will depend on how well these externally supported initiatives are embedded within existing government structures.

“Partnership enables progress, but sustainability depends on national ownership and institutional capacity,” the Minister stressed.

Also speaking at the ceremony, United Nations Resident Coordinator Christine Umutoni underscored the strategic importance of the collaboration between the Government of Liberia, Japan, and UN agencies including UNICEF, UNFPA, and UN Women.

She described the initiative as a “community-focused response” designed to strengthen national systems while expanding essential services for women, girls, adolescents, and vulnerable populations across the country.

Funded by the Government of Japan, the package includes four major projects targeting key development sectors.

UNICEF will lead two interventions, one aimed at strengthening emergency WASH systems in flood-prone and outbreak-affected communities, and another focused on improving school effectiveness and child-level monitoring through digital innovation.

UNFPA will support the maintenance of life-saving biomedical equipment through technical cooperation with Japan, including the establishment of Liberia’s first training program for biomedical technicians, an intervention expected to significantly improve healthcare delivery.

Meanwhile, UN Women will implement a project centered on strengthening gender-responsive disaster resilience and advancing human security for women and girls, particularly in vulnerable communities.

“These initiatives are not standalone efforts,” Umutoni noted. “They are designed to reinforce each other and build stronger, more resilient systems that respond to the real needs of Liberians.”

Delivering remarks on behalf of the United Nations system, UNFPA Deputy Representative Leonard Kamugisha emphasized that the projects come at a critical time, coinciding with the first year of implementation of the new UN Cooperation Framework in Liberia.

He noted that the alignment between the projects and Liberia’s national priorities provides a strong foundation for long-term impact, particularly in advancing the Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs.

Kamugisha further stressed the importance of community ownership, urging local stakeholders to see the projects as their oto to ensure sustainability and scalability.

For his part, Japan’s Ambassador to Liberia, Yoshimoto Hiroshi, reaffirmed Japan’s commitment to supporting Liberia’s development priorities, particularly in sectors that directly affect human security and resilience.

The launch event brought together senior government officials, heads of UN agencies, development partners, and members of the diplomatic corps, signaling a unified commitment to addressing Liberia’s most pressing development challenges through coordinated and system-driven approaches.

As implementation begins, stakeholders say the true measure of success will not lie in the scale of funding or the number of projects launched, but in the tangible improvements experienced in schools, health facilities, and communities across Liberia.

For the government, that standard remains clear, stronger systems, better coordination, and visible outcomes where they matter most, at the level of the Liberian child.