I. INTRODUCTION
The African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACERWC)
extends its compliments to the Government of Liberia and wishes to acknowledge with
thanks receipt of the initial report on the status of implementation of the African Charter
on the Rights and Welfare of the Child. The ACERWC, during its 23rd Session,
considered Liberia’ initial report which was submitted in accordance with the State
Parties obligation under Article 43 of the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of
the Child (ACRWC).
The Committee commends the State Part for the delegate, Mr. Andrew G.
Tehmeh, the Representative of the Government of Liberia and the Deputy Minister for
Planning and Administration in the Ministry of Gender and Development for the open
and constructive dialogue.
The Committee notes with appreciation that the State Party ratified the African
Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child and took various initiatives to implement
the rights and duties enshrined in the Charter. However, the Committee regrets that the
report was submitted with considerable delay, which prevented the Committee from
reviewing the implementation of the Charter by Liberia for some years after the
ratification.
II. PROGRESS IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CHARTER
The Committee commends the State Party on the following achievements;
a. The adoption of the Children’s Law which domesticates the Charter and
Encompasses the General Principles of the Charter
b. The formulation of the Education Act of 2011
c. The adoption of the Act to amend the Penal Code of January 2006, called the
Rape Law;
d. The ratification of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
(CRPD) in 2012
e. National Policy on Girls’ Education (2006)
f. Education Master Plan 2000–2010 and the Education for All Action Plan
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