Sierra Leone’s Ambassador to Türkiye, Dr. Francess Virginia Anderson, has paid a courtesy call on Hon. Çiğdem Erdoğan, Chairperson of the Turkish Parliamentary Commission for Equal Opportunities for Women and Men, to explore partnership opportunities with Sierra Leone’s Parliamentary Female Caucus.

During the meeting at the Grand National Assembly in Ankara, Ambassador Anderson emphasized the importance of collaboration between the two parliaments, particularly in promoting gender equality and women’s participation in governance.

She noted that Sierra Leone has made significant progress in women’s political representation, with female lawmakers now holding 30.4% of parliamentary seats compared to 15.9% in the previous election.

“The role of your Commission aligns very well with Sierra Leone’s agenda for a 30% quota for women’s participation across all levels of governance,” Ambassador Anderson said, adding that she hopes for knowledge exchange programs between the two parliamentary bodies.

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She also highlighted Sierra Leone’s Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Act, passed in December 2022, describing it as a landmark law aimed at empowering women across politics, law, and the private sector.

In response, Hon. Çiğdem Erdoğan praised the growing cooperation between Sierra Leone and Türkiye, noting strong ties in areas such as medicine, education, and the economy. She commended Sierra Leone’s support for Türkiye’s Zero Waste Initiative, led by First Lady Emine Erdoğan, and expressed interest in formalizing collaboration between both parliaments.

“We will be happy to be a partner and example to our counterparts in Sierra Leone,” she said. “We will realize this soon. Thank you very much, Madam Ambassador.”