By Krubo N. V. Nwainokpor, (CEO, Forever Glamorous]
Today, on the International Day of the Girl Child, sisters across Liberia stand in solidarity with every girl who has suffered in silence: rejected at birth, forced into harmful traditions, denied schooling, and robbed of agency. This is her story. This could be any girl’s story, and this must change.
Rejection & Inequality from the Start
From the moment she enters this world, a girl in many parts of Liberia faces rejection. Sons are welcomed, daughters often less so. The burden of household chores is placed on the girl; boys are sent to school.
According to a 2024 World Bank Africa report, only 40% of Liberian girls aged 15–19 remain in school. Over 30% of girls in this group are already married or have children, which dramatically lowers their chance to finish high school.
A Tradition That Cuts Deep: FGM in Liberia
One of the most devastating violences against girls is Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). Liberia is one of the countries where FGM is entrenched in traditional beliefs, especially under the Sande secret society.
The prevalence of FGM among women aged 15-49 in Liberia is about 38.2%. The youngest victims are often initiated during adolescence.
Initiatives to stop FGM have already begun in counties like Montserrado, Grand Cape Mount, Nimba, and Bong. In February 2023, the National Council of Chiefs and Elders (NACCEL), under Chief Zanzan Karwor, declared a ban on FGM throughout Liberia, a landmark proclamation.
Yet, despite laws and proclamations, the practice persists in many rural areas.
Violence, Forced Marriage, & Silence
Imagine being forced into marriage with a much older man, living in a hut too small for comfort, with co-wives forced into your life. Imagine the shame, when there’s an attempt to seek justice, she is silenced. She is told to endure. Her attackers are defended. The community protects the men, not the girl.
These stories are all too real. Sexual violence, forced marriage, and suppression are recurring themes in many parts of Liberia. Abuse of girls by men in power often goes unpunished. Cultural norms enforce the idea: a woman should be seen, not heard.
The Fight for Education & Rights
Liberian women and girls have not been silent. There are heroes, fighters Leymah Gbowee, Nobel Peace Laureate; Korto K. Reeves, head of Feminist Lib and working across Africa; Elizabeth Dato Gbah, Country Director, Action aid Liberia; and Facia Boyenoh Harris, a lawyer and women’s rights activist. They have all spoken loudly against sexual assault, harassment, and early marriage in Liberia.
Elizabeth G. Johnson, Juli Endee, activists for peace and rightful cultural practices, head of crusaders for peace.
Despite the bravery of these women, the data shows much left to do: Women in Liberia are less likely than men to reach high school (42% vs 50%); only 11% of seats in Liberia’s national parliament are held by women.
When Justice Fails
Imagine gathering courage to bring a case against a man who raped your child or forced marriage, or abuse. Then seeing him buy off witnesses, buy silence, and watching the law be twisted. This betrayal cuts deeper than any blade.
In Liberia, even where FGM is banned, enforcement is weak. Traditional ceremonies continue especially where poverty, isolation, or lack of awareness persist. Reporting sexual violence often leads nowhere. Cultural stigmas silence the victim. Shame is not on the abuser, but on the girl.
Raising the Voice: No More Silence
But today, in 2025, the silence is breaking.
On 6 February 2025, Liberia observed the International Day of Zero Tolerance for FGM under the global theme “Her Voice, Her Future”, and the national theme “Her Voice, Her Future: Let’s Act Now by Ending FGM and Preserving Our Heritage.” The event was held in Invincible Park, Sinkor, Monrovia, gathering activists, survivors, government officials, and communities to call for action.
Traditional leaders have in multiple counties publicly handed over the “tools” of FGM to signal their commitment to stop the cut.
Liberia must act further:
- Pass legislation to criminalize FGM, early forced marriage, and marital rape with clear penalties.
- Ensure girls’ education.
- Support survivor medical care, psychological counseling, legal aid.
- Elevate women’s representation in government, local councils, decisions that affect all lives.
Is It a Crime to Be Born a Girl?
Yes. Because the moment she is born, she faces rejection; the moment she stands up, she risks shame; the moment she speaks, she is told to be silent.
Let every girl know: you have the right to education, to protection, to a life free from violence. Let every community know: your silence gives power to the oppressor. Let leaders know: your laws must protect, not betray.
On this International Day of the Girl Child 2025, I stand with every girl who has ever been forced to hide her truth. I stand with every woman who is loyal to keep fighting until the girl child is free. with all the brave survivors. I raise my voice, and I will not be silent anymore.
Conclusion
To every girl born into this world: you are not less.
To every voice silenced: the silence ends.
To every community holding onto harmful traditions: the pain isn’t heritage, it’s violence.
Let this day be remembered not just with speeches, but with laws changed, lives saved, voices heard.
Because a girl’s birth is not a crime. It is the first spark of hope that can light up the world.
POEM:
IS IT A CRIME TO BE BORN A GIRL?
By Krubo nv Nwainokpor
I am the one who faced rejection
the very first day I came into this world.
Chained at home with chores…
while my brothers went to school
with out my consent i was forced to the blade of FGM.
I buried my sisters who couldn’t survive the blades, even survivors have to live a life time of deep scares that never heal.
Before my tears could dry,
I was married to a beast, old enough to be my great grand father
In a hut too small for comfort, but nights of terror,
he kept in flowing young girls
calling them co-wives.
I whispered, fellow victims
I ran for protection.
The village spat at me, and called me “prostitute!” him
They called noble.
No one measured the beast he was.
Even the one I ran to
pierced my heart
raped my baby.
And again, the village said: I dare not say a word,
A woman must be seen, not heard
I cry helplessly in agony as I watched my baby
suffered, each tears drop so hot spread across Africa, breaking every chain that has held us down for so long!
We no longer fear, we are fiance! Fearlessly breaking every chain that held us down for so long, we are breaking Free never to be silenced.
In our loudest voice we ask: Is it a crime to be born a girl?
Today we stand
with every woman who refuses to bow to societal norms imposed on us, enough is enough is either you respect my existence or expect my resistance.
I am a girl.
I am not a curse. m a cure, I’m not a burden am a blessing.
Today Oct 11, the international day of the girl child, we are demanding our rights!
I have the right to education,
to dignity,
to every human right!
It is not a crime to be born a girl
It is a blessing!
Because girls…
make the world shine brighter.
