Sierra Leone’s First Lady, Fatima Bio has on the 11th November, 2023 reaffirmed the Government’s total commitment to the Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Act as the keynote speaker at the Women’s Forum Sierra Leone Dinner and Awards Night at the Bintumani Conference in Freetown.

The event was hosted by the Women’s Forum Sierra Leone, which clearly highlighted the organization’s significant contributions to addressing gender-based violence, advocating for education and economic empowerment, and promoting political participation for women in the country. The event targeted the theme, “Making the Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Act Work for the Betterment of the Country”.

In her statement, the first lady shared updates on the successes of her flagship project being the “Hands Off Our Girls” campaign in the country as well as presenting President Bio’s initiatives, such as declaring a state of emergency on rape, establishing a one-stop center, and creating a sexual offenses court.

She addressed challenges women face, emphasizing societal expectations conflicting with women’s career pursuits and the importance of understanding the Gender Equality and Women Empowerment Act for defending women’s rights. She encouraged women to engage in various professions and harness technology, stressing the need for increased awareness and publicizing the Act.

She added that, the government is totally committed to implementing the dictates of the Act, ensuring a 30% quota for women in all government institutions.