Liberian health bill on abortion, euthanasia, same-sex marriage faces opposition
A health bill seeking to, amongst others, legalise abortion, same-sex marriage and euthanasia in Liberia has faced vehement opposition from religious leaders in the country, particularly catholic bishops.
The Catholic Bishops Conference of Liberia (CABICOL) strongly opposed the government’s proposed public health bill, citing concerns over provisions that legalise abortion, euthanasia, and same-sex marriage. The bishops argue that the bill undermines the country’s moral and religious foundation and poses a significant threat to the right to life.
In a 2025 Lenten Pastoral Message, CABICOL, led by Most Rev. Anthony Fallah Borwah, President of the conference, joined forces with the Liberia Council of Churches (LCC) and the National Muslim Council to call for the bill’s outright rejection.
“We emphatically reject this bill and its subsequent provisions, such as the legalization of same-sex marriage and euthanasia,” the bishops stated. “The Church’s perennial teaching, as inscribed in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, is that ‘human life must be respected and protected absolutely from the moment of conception till its normal end.’ The commandment of God is clear: ‘Thou shall not kill’ (Exodus 20:13),” he is quoted by the Liberian Observer.
The religious leaders stressed that legalising abortion and euthanasia contradicts Liberia’s cultural and faith-based values, urging lawmakers to uphold the sanctity of life. They called on all religious and civic groups to oppose the legislation and advocate for policies that align with traditional family and moral principles.
