Monrovia, Liberia – April 17, 2025 – The World Bank in Liberia convened key stakeholders yesterday for a crucial dialogue focusing on the vital intersection of Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) assessment and the Economic Empowerment of Adolescent Girls and Young Women (EPAG) Program. The event, held on April 16, 2025, brought together representatives from the Government of Liberia (GoL), civil society organizations (CSOs), and development partners to discuss findings and recommendations from two significant pieces of research in these areas.
In her opening remarks, World Bank Liberia Country Manager, Georgia Wallen, underscored the long-standing collaboration between the Government of Liberia, the World Bank, and other stakeholders in advancing national priorities for early childhood development and education. She emphasized that the dialogue exemplified how coordination and collaboration can significantly impact the lives of children, women, and communities, offering a glimpse into the future potential for early learning, childcare, and skills development in Liberia.
Ms. Wallen highlighted the significant ripple effects of well-designed investments in early childhood development and education, noting their potential to improve health, education, and social cohesion, thereby laying a strong foundation for a prosperous society by bolstering human capital. She also pointed out the existing disparities in access to these crucial services, with developing countries lagging significantly behind developed nations.
Furthermore, Ms. Wallen stressed the critical role of such investments in empowering women, who are often primary caregivers. Access to quality early childhood care and education services enables women to pursue decent employment, earn more, and access higher-quality jobs and education, contributing to overall economic growth.
She noted the strong alignment of this agenda with the Government of Liberia’s ongoing investments in women and families, particularly through initiatives like the Liberia Women’s Empowerment Project (LWEP), which aims to unlock opportunities and improve the enabling environment for women’s economic and social empowerment.
Ms. Wallen expressed the World Bank’s pleasure in presenting findings and recommendations from two key studies:
- A study examining the market for ECCE services in rural areas: This research identifies appropriate childcare models that can be integrated into existing projects like LWEP and future initiatives supporting women’s empowerment.
- An evaluation of the EPAG training program: This evaluation assesses a homegrown model for enhancing country capacity for service delivery, which holds significant relevance for Liberia.
The primary objective of the stakeholder dialogue was to gather valuable feedback from the Government and other stakeholders on these two pieces of work. Ms. Wallen emphasized the ultimate goal of using this research to inform decision-making, implementation, and concrete action, aligning with the Liberian government’s ARREST agenda, which aspires to a “giant leap in human capital development” with a strong focus on equitable access for women and girls, persons with disabilities, and vulnerable populations. She affirmed that high-quality research will be instrumental in achieving these ambitious objectives.
Ms. Wallen expressed her anticipation for finalizing both research pieces based on the feedback received, particularly on the findings and recommendations. She also conveyed the hope of developing, through collaborative input, a costed roadmap for the Government and its development partners to implement these recommendations effectively. Further discussion on this follow-up activity was planned for the remainder of the event.
Ms. Wallen concluded by thanking all participants for their time, expertise, and contributions to this critical agenda. She also acknowledged the leadership and coordination of the World Bank Social Development and Education teams, as well as the generous support of the Early Learning Partnership and the Invest in Childcare Initiative, for making the work and the dialogue possible.
She then handed over the proceedings to the moderator, David Baysah, CEO of ADARA Research and Management Consultancy, who played a key role in conducting some of the presented research.
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