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Sierra Leone’s First Lady, Fatima Maada Bio, has reaffirmed her commitment to the global fight against child marriage after leading a high-level conversation at Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) in New York.
The engagement took place on March 4, 2026, during a global event titled “Accelerating Efforts to End Child Marriage,” organized by the Institute of Global Politics Women’s Initiative. The forum brought together influential leaders, advocates, and policymakers committed to protecting girls’ rights and promoting gender equality.
During the event, the First Lady shared the stage with several prominent international figures, including former United States Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, former Chief Operating Officer of Meta Platforms Sheryl Sandberg, global advocate Mabel van Oranje, and the Executive Director of UNICEF Catherine Russell.
In her remarks, Mrs. Bio highlighted the urgent need for stronger international collaboration to address the persistent challenge of child marriage, which continues to affect millions of girls worldwide.
She stressed that ending the practice requires not only policy reforms but also sustained investment in girls’ education, protection systems, and community engagement.
The First Lady emphasized that empowering girls through education and safeguarding their rights remains central to Sierra Leone’s broader development agenda.
She also underscored the importance of global partnerships in advancing initiatives that give girls the opportunity to grow, learn, and realize their full potential without the burden of early marriage.
The discussion served as a platform for participants to exchange ideas and reinforce commitments toward eliminating child marriage globally. Speakers collectively called for coordinated action among governments, international organizations, civil society, and development partners to accelerate progress on the issue.
Mrs. Bio’s participation reflects Sierra Leone’s continued advocacy on the international stage for policies and programs that protect children and promote the well-being of girls.
The First Lady has been a leading voice in campaigns aimed at ending child marriage and advancing girls’ education, both within Sierra Leone and across global platforms. Her appearance at the SIPA event further strengthened international dialogue and renewed the shared determination to ensure that every girl can grow up free from the threat of child marriage.
