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The fight against child marriage and Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) has received renewed attention following a meeting between First Lady Dr. Fatima Maada Bio and senior officials from the Family Support Unit (FSU) and the Legal and Justice Support Department of the Sierra Leone Police.
The officials paid a courtesy visit to the First Lady at her Goderich office, reaffirming a shared commitment to protecting the rights of women and girls in line with her flagship “Hands Off Our Girls” campaign and the Inspector General of Police’s initiative, themed “Together We Say No to Early Marriage.”
Superintendent Mohamed S.Y. Mansaray, who represented the FSU, reaffirmed the Police’s commitment to enforcing laws aimed at protecting children and women from exploitation and abuse. He highlighted the FSU’s role in investigating cases of child marriage, sexual abuse, and SGBV, while strengthening partnerships with government institutions, civil society organisations, and development partners.
In recognition of the First Lady’s advocacy efforts, Superintendent Mansaray presented a symbolic gift on behalf of the Inspector General of Police, Mr. William Fayia Sellu.
Dr. Fatima Maada Bio commended the Police for their continued partnership, stressing that ending child marriage and SGBV requires collective efforts from communities, parents, traditional and religious leaders, and development partners.
She encouraged girls to prioritise education, avoid relationships before the age of 18, and report any form of abuse to the Police or her office.
The First Lady described the campaign against child marriage as part of a global effort to protect the future of children, adding that new child protection initiatives will be unveiled before the end of the year.
The meeting ended with both parties pledging to strengthen collaboration through public awareness campaigns, improved law enforcement, and community engagement to eliminate child marriage and SGBV across Sierra Leone.
