What to know about Public Health Bill as Liberia Convene Health's Conference
Liberia will host its second Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights Conference beginning Wednesday at the E.J.S. Ministerial Complex in Congo Town, as the country grapples with a contentious public health bill revision and alarming maternal mortality rates.
The conference, organized by the Amplifying Rights Network, comes at a critical juncture for reproductive health in the nation. The gathering is expected to bring together government officials, health professionals, youth leaders and international partners under the theme "Breaking The Barriers: Advancing SRHR For All."
The event arrives amid ongoing legislative debate over revisions to Liberia's Public Health Bill, which includes provisions on abortion that have drawn both support and opposition. The Catholic Bishops Conference of Liberia rejected the proposed bill in March, expressing concerns over what they described as provisions for abortion legalization.
The legislative deliberations unfold against a backdrop of severe public health challenges. According to the 2022 Liberia Population and Housing Census, Liberia recorded a maternal mortality rate of 854 deaths per 100,000 live births—nearly 60 percent higher than the sub-Saharan African average of 536 per 100,000 and more than 12 times the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal target.
The data revealed that 9.3 percent of all deaths among women of reproductive age were pregnancy-related. Among women aged 20 to 24, that figure rose to 15 percent. Combined, women aged 15 to 24 accounted for 36 percent of all maternal deaths.
Research has identified unsafe abortion as a risk factor for maternal mortality in Liberia, though the relationship between unsafe abortion practices and the country's high mortality rates requires further study. The widespread use of abortion pills among young women has emerged as a particular concern for public health officials.
Rural women face disproportionate risks. The census found that maternal mortality in rural areas reached 1,024 per 100,000 live births, compared with 694 per 100,000 in urban areas. Grand Kru County recorded the highest rate at 1,252 per 100,000 live births.
The conference will feature keynote addresses from Dazon Dixon Diallo, founder of SisterLove, Inc., and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Leymah Gbowee of the Gbowee Foundation Africa. Sessions will address contraception, safe abortion access, gender-based violence, and health system strengthening.
In addition to the main venue in Monrovia, the conference will extend to five regional satellite locations in Buchanan, Gbarnga, Ganta, Zwedru and Tubmanburg, representing a departure from previous capital-focused gatherings.
"The SRHR Conference 2025 is not just about dialogue—it's about action," said Facia B. Harris, chair of the Amplifying Rights Network. "We are creating a platform for transformative commitments that will shape a healthier future for everyone."
The conference will include technical workshops, panel discussions, and sessions specifically designed to amplify youth voices in reproductive health decision-making. Organizers plan commitment sessions where stakeholders will pledge concrete measures to advance reproductive health outcomes.
The gathering reflects broader tensions in Liberia over reproductive health policy. Civil society organizations have pressured the Liberian Senate to pass the revised Public Health Bill to address health challenges, while grassroots engagement sessions have sought community input on the legislation.
With maternal mortality rates far exceeding regional and global targets, conference participants will confront the urgent question of how to reduce preventable deaths while navigating the political and social complexities of reproductive health policy in Liberia.
In February 2020, former President George Weah submitted the Revised Health Bill to the 54th Legislature, which seeks to address current and future challenges and integrate separate laws governing the public health system. The Plenary of the House of Representatives passed the bill, but it has been awaiting Senate action.
Communities in Montserrado and Margibi Counties are taking ownership of Liberia's revised Public Health Bill after a series of grassroots engagement sessions led by the Help a Mother and Newborn Initiative (HMNI). As of mid-2025, the bill is still before the Liberian Senate.
The bill aims to modernize and unify Liberia's public health laws to better address the country's health challenges.
