Gender Ministry Declares War on Drug Abuse

By Lazota Bility

July 21, 2025

Monrovia:  The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection has reaffirmed its unwavering Zero Tolerance policy on trafficking and the proliferation of drugs across Liberia.

According to the (MoGCSP) drug abuse remains one of the most pressing threats to national well-being particularly among youth, women, and children following Liberia’s fourteen years of devastating civil wars that ended 2003 thus leaving the country was vulnerable to drug trafficking due to porous borders and weakened law enforcement.

Drugs such as cocaine, heroin, and marijuana found entry routes into the country and continued to destabilize the already fragile communities. Former child soldiers and ex-combatants were often introduced to drugs during the war as a means of desensitization or manipulation. In the post-war years, the proliferation of drugs has remained a persistent and dangerous issue.

 The Ministry has raised serious concerns over what it describes as a “disturbing trend” women and children increasingly being used as conduits for peddling and trafficking harmful substances. These practices according to the Ministry, not only expose vulnerable groups to legal and physical danger but also intensify cycles of abuse, exploitation, and community-level violence.

“It is deeply concerning that while women and girls are affected by gender-based violence, there are increasing reports of women allegedly being used as conduits for trafficking harmful substances,” the statement noted. The Ministry emphasized that these actions directly undermine national efforts to protect and empower women and girls.

 In its statement, the MoGCSP made it clear that accountability must apply to all, regardless of gender. “Justice must remain blind to gender when holding accountable those who jeopardize the safety and well-being of communities, women, and the future of children,” the Ministry stated.

The MoGCSP has called on the Ministry of Justice and all relevant security agencies to act decisively and without compromise in enforcing drug laws. The Ministry also urged women across Liberia to take a united stand against drug abuse in their communities. It emphasized that women should not be participants in acts that perpetuate destruction and violence. “Women cannot serve as conveyors of destruction that perpetuate the very violence and abuse from which we strive to protect them.”

The Ministry pledged to continue working with national and international partners, as well as multilateral institutions, to eradicate drug abuse in Liberia and protect women and children from all forms of exploitation.

“Drug trafficking has contributed to the alarming rise in substance abuse among our youthful populace, exposing them to depression, despair, and robbing them of a future full of promise and opportunity,” the Ministry concluded.