The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with the support of UN Women Liberia, will host a high-level event on Tuesday, June 24, 2025, in observance of the International Day of Women in Diplomacy. The event will take place at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Monrovia.
Established by the United Nations General Assembly through Resolution 76/269 in 2022, the International Day of Women in Diplomacy is observed annually on June 24. This day recognizes the critical contributions of women to diplomacy, international affairs, and peacebuilding, from grassroots activism to global negotiations. It also shines a spotlight on the persistent barriers that hinder women’s equal participation and leadership in diplomatic spaces.
Despite gradual progress, women remain significantly underrepresented in diplomatic leadership worldwide. As of 2024, only 21% of ambassadors globally are women, with Africa accounting for 20%, up just slightly from 19% in 2023. These statistics reflect slow but on-going efforts toward gender parity in diplomacy.
In Liberia, women represent 43.9% of the ministry’s home office staff and 37.3% of foreign mission staff. However, they remain underrepresented in leadership roles, holding only 27.1% of home office leadership positions and 40.1% of decision-making roles in foreign missions. These figures demonstrate the urgent need for targeted reform to advance gender-balanced leadership across the diplomatic service.
In April 2025, the UN Human Rights Council adopted Resolution 58/15 on Women, Diplomacy and Human Rights, led by Morocco, Chile, Mexico, and Spain, and co-sponsored by more than 95 UN Member States. The resolution calls for systemic reforms to eliminate discrimination in diplomatic spaces, and reaffirms the global commitment to women’s full, equal, and meaningful participation in diplomacy.
Liberia has a proud legacy of women’s leadership in diplomacy and peacebuilding. From former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Africa’s first elected female head of state, to Nobel Laureate Leymah Gbowee, Liberian women have long shaped the country’s diplomatic and peacebuilding efforts. Community-based mechanisms such as peace huts further highlight Liberia’s grassroots innovations in women-led diplomacy.
Liberia is also among the growing number of countries advancing a Feminist Foreign Policy (FFP). A member of the FFP+ Group at the United Nations, Liberia reaffirmed its commitment to gender-responsive diplomacy at the 78th UN General Assembly and again at the 2025 African Union Summit. These efforts align with the National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security (NAP-WPS) and global frameworks such as UNSCR 1325 and HRC Resolution 58/15.
The June 24th event presents a strategic opportunity to celebrate the contributions of Liberian women to diplomacy and peacebuilding; disseminate and contextualize HRC Resolution 58/15 within Liberia’s policy landscape; and reaffirm Liberia’s leadership in advancing gender-equitable diplomacy.
The objective of the event is to raise national awareness of the International Day of Women in Diplomacy and its alignment with Liberia’s foreign policy and gender equality goals; recognize and celebrate the achievements of Liberian women in formal and informal diplomatic spaces (Track I, II, and III); disseminate HRC Resolution 58/15 and explore its relevance to Liberia’s Feminist Foreign Policy; facilitate dialogue among stakeholders on institutional reforms, mentorship, and pathways to expand women’s leadership in diplomacy; and generate actionable recommendations for creating enabling environments for women across Liberia’s foreign service.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says they invite stakeholders from across government, civil society, academia, diplomatic missions, and development partners to join this important occasion in honoring and advancing the role of women in diplomacy.
