Nobel Peace Prize winner Leymah Gbowee has urged male politicians and policymakers in Liberia to stop making decisions about women’s reproductive health, arguing that they lack the lived experience to understand the issue.
Speaking at the 2025 Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) Conference organized by the Amplifying Rights Network in Monrovia, Gbowee condemned what she described as the “persistent political hypocrisy” surrounding women’s bodies.
“To the men in power — from legislators to ministers — until you’ve had your period and experienced what women go through monthly, you have no right to make decisions about our bodies,” she declared, drawing loud applause from the audience.
She criticized how debates on reproductive rights in male-dominated parliaments often center on religious and political sensitivities rather than women’s health and autonomy.
According to her, words like abortion or sexual rights immediately provoke resistance among politicians who fear public backlash more than they value women’s wellbeing.
“Once they see the word ‘abortion’ in a document, they want to remove it,” she said. “Our bodies are not tools for political campaigns. They belong to us, and we must be included in every decision about them.”
Gbowee, known for leading the women’s peace movement that helped end Liberia’s 14-year civil war, urged women nationwide to raise their voices in defense of their reproductive rights.
She emphasized that women and girls should not be punished or stigmatized for seeking abortions, especially in cases of rape, incest, or life-threatening pregnancies.
She questioned the government’s failure to confront the harsh realities many women face. “What happens when a young girl is raped and not ready to have a child? Do we just ignore that?” she asked.
Her remarks reignited national debate over Liberia’s restrictive abortion laws, which currently allow the procedure only when a woman’s life is in danger or in cases of rape and incest. Even then, access remains limited by stigma, bureaucracy, and inadequate healthcare facilities. Don’t Miss This: AfDB to Disburse $500m Loan to Nigeria Before Year-End
Gbowee urged the government to end patriarchal decision-making on women’s health and enact legislation that ensures women can access safe and stigma-free abortion services. She called on Liberian society to challenge cultural, religious, and political norms that continue to silence women in discussions about sexuality and reproductive choice.
“Liberia must evolve,” she said. “The country adjusted to my activism before — it can adjust again.”
Participants at the SRHR conference echoed Gbowee’s sentiments, saying unsafe abortions claim many women’s lives each year because of restrictive laws. They argued that prioritizing women’s health and rights would help address broader societal issues, including the problem of absentee fathers.
The three-day SRHR Conference, held at the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Ministerial Complex under the theme “Breaking the Barriers: Advancing SRHR for All,” gathered government officials, health experts, and youth leaders to discuss strategies for expanding access to sexual and reproductive healthcare across Liberia.
The event’s first day concluded with a youth dialogue session, where participants discussed stigma reduction, youth engagement, and the need for stronger health systems to promote equitable reproductive rights nationwide.
