MONROVIA – A highly criticized and widely circulated video depicting children of Rock Crusher Community along the Roberts International Airport (RIA) highway in Margibi County being subjected and engaged in hazardous labor, crushing rocks to support their families’ livelihoods has claimed the attention of the Ministry of Gender and Social Protection (MGCSP), thus launching a swift and compassionate response to the alarming situation.
In line with its mandate to protect children from abuse, exploitation, and all forms of child labor, the Ministry, under the Street Child Project, dispatched a team to the community to assess the situation firsthand. Upon arrival, the team held critical discussions with parents and community leaders and immediately halted all children from participating in rock crushing activities.
As part of its intervention, the Ministry has commenced a thorough documentation process, capturing the identities, personal histories, and living conditions of the affected children. Simultaneously, family members and caregivers have been engaged to understand the underlying socioeconomic challenges that led to the children’s involvement in such unsafe labor.
In response, the Ministry has committed to a multifaceted support plan to ensure both short- and long-term protection for the children. This includes:
■ Provision of small grant support to parents and caregivers to help sustain the families’ basic needs and reduce economic pressure.
■ Full academic enrollment of the children in the upcoming school year, free of charge, as part of the Ministry’s broader efforts to reintegrate children into formal education and provide a pathway out of poverty.
■ Ongoing monitoring and family engagement to ensure the children remain safe, supported, and in school.
This immediate intervention reaffirms the Ministry’s commitment to protecting Liberia’s most vulnerable children and addressing root causes of child labor, particularly in high-risk communities.
The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection calls on community members, partners, and the general public to support the national agenda to keep children off the streets and out of labor, ensuring they grow up in safe, nurturing environments with access to education and opportunity, a Facebook post on the Ministry official page says.
