Children's Rights and Protection Under Liberian Law
An introduction to the Children's Law, 2011 and the legal principles concerning children's rights, welfare, identity, family relationships and protection.
The Children's Law, 2011
Liberia's Children's Law establishes a statutory framework for the rights and protection of children. It describes a Bill of Child Rights and recognises that child rights also arise under the Constitution, other Liberian laws and applicable international law.
Core themes
The Law addresses matters including:
- the right to life and protection;
- a child's name and identity;
- family relationships and parental care;
- welfare and development;
- protection from harmful treatment;
- governmental duties toward children.
The best interests and welfare of the child are recurring legal considerations in child-related matters.
Family and state responsibilities
Parents, guardians, public institutions and courts can have different responsibilities depending on the issue. A child-protection concern is not the same as an ordinary family disagreement, and urgent safety issues may require immediate involvement of the appropriate protection, justice or social-service institution.
Related laws
Family and child issues can also interact with the Domestic Relations Law, domestic-violence legislation, inheritance law and court rules.
Use current official sources
This guide gives a general overview. It does not determine custody, guardianship, support, adoption or protection outcomes in a particular case. Those questions can depend on specific facts and legal proceedings.