UNFPA Liberia: GBV Service Fees Impede Adolescent Rape Care

• UNFPA reported that 91% of recorded female rape survivors in Liberia over the past five years were adolescent girls aged 10-19.
• Only 47% of rape survivors in Liberia reached a health facility within the critical 72-hour window following an assault.
• Despite national policies mandating free care, Liberian public health facilities often charge GBV survivors due to inadequate funding.
• These service fees delay critical medical treatment, compound trauma, and disproportionately affect vulnerable women and girls.
• The Government of Liberia has made fighting gender-based violence a national priority, aiming to reduce its incidence by 50% under the ARREST Agenda.

The imposition of service fees not only delays critical medical treatment but also compounds the trauma experienced by survivors.

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) recently highlighted a severe crisis concerning sexual violence against adolescent girls in Liberia. During a High-Level Policy Dialogue in Mamba Point, Monrovia, on September 10, 2026, Leonard Kamugisha, UNFPA Officer-in-Charge, revealed that an overwhelming 91 percent of female rape survivors recorded over the past five years were girls between the ages of 10 and 19. This alarming figure underscores the profound vulnerability of young individuals within the community.

Further dissecting these grim statistics, Kamugisha noted that 61 percent of these recorded survivors were even younger, falling into the 10 to 14 age bracket. These figures, drawn from Liberia's Health Management Information System, paint a stark picture of the disproportionate impact of sexual violence on children and adolescents, demonstrating that survivors of sexual violence are often among the most vulnerable members of society, as highlighted by this UNFPA Liberia sexual violence report.

Despite the urgent need for timely intervention, a significant number of survivors face substantial hurdles in accessing essential medical care. Data indicates that only 47 percent of rape survivors manage to reach a health facility within the crucial 72-hour window following an assault. This delay has dire consequences for their health and well-being, particularly regarding preventative treatments.

The statistics on post-assault medical interventions are equally concerning. Within the critical 72-hour period, merely 31 percent of survivors received Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) to guard against HIV infection, and only 26 percent were provided with emergency contraception to prevent unintended pregnancies. A primary factor contributing to these low access rates, according to UNFPA, is the practice of public health facilities charging service fees, creating a significant financial barrier for vulnerable individuals.

This situation presents a stark contradiction: while Liberia's national policies explicitly mandate free medical care for gender-based violence survivors, the practical reality on the ground often involves out-of-pocket payments. UNFPA acknowledges that public health facilities sometimes impose these Liberia health facility GBV fees due to inadequate financing, which leaves them struggling to cover their operational costs. This discrepancy between Liberia gender-based violence policy and practice directly impedes access to care, particularly for poor and vulnerable women and girls in rural and peri-urban communities, who are disproportionately affected by these financial demands.

The imposition of service fees not only delays critical medical treatment but also compounds the trauma experienced by survivors. Leonard Kamugisha emphasized that financial barriers can cause survivors to miss the vital 72-hour window for accessing PEP and emergency contraception, increasing health risks. Furthermore, the cost of accessing services can deter survivors from reporting sexual violence or seeking medical attention, thereby reinforcing stigma and fear within communities and undermining efforts to hold perpetrators accountable.

The Government of Liberia has, however, recognized the severity of this issue, making the fight against gender-based violence a national development priority. This commitment is reflected in the ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development, which includes a target to reduce the incidence of GBV by 50 percent. Eliminating Liberia GBV service fees would represent a crucial step toward improving healthcare access and strengthening Liberia's overall response to sexual and gender-based violence.

UNFPA remains steadfast in its commitment to collaborate with the Liberian government and its partners. The organization aims to support the development of policies that guarantee women and girls can access essential services without encountering financial obstacles, working towards a Liberia where every woman and girl can live with dignity.

Lawyers advising healthcare providers or NGOs in Liberia should be aware of the discrepancy between national policies mandating free GBV survivor care and the practical reality of facilities charging fees. This situation presents compliance risks for institutions and highlights areas for advocacy regarding funding and enforcement of survivor protection laws.

Source: Original reporting via New Dawn