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Sierra Leone’s First Lady, Her Excellency Dr. Fatima Maada Bio, on Thursday, 11th December 2025, hosted Her Excellency Mrs. Marie Khone Faye, First Lady of Senegal, and Her Excellency Dr. Débora Katisa Carvalho, First Lady of Cape Verde, during a high-profile visit to Freetown.
The two First Ladies, accompanied by their respective delegations, arrived in Sierra Leone to participate in the 7th Anniversary commemoration of the Hands Off Our Girls campaign an initiative that has grown from a national advocacy drive into a continental movement promoting the rights, protection, and empowerment of the African girl child.
In a statement shared on Thursday, First Lady Fatima Bio described the visit as an honour and a powerful demonstration of sisterhood and solidarity among African First Ladies. She highlighted the campaign’s expanding influence across the continent, noting its role in amplifying issues affecting girls, including early marriage, sexual violence, and access to education.
During the visit, the First Ladies also joined Dr. Fatima Bio in officially launching a new continental initiative titled “Building Resilience for Women and Girls in the Face of Climate Change and Conflict.”
The program aims to address the growing vulnerabilities faced by women and girls across Africa as extreme weather patterns, environmental degradation, and conflict continue to escalate humanitarian and development challenges.
Dr. Fatima Bio, who serves as President of the Organisation of African First Ladies for Development (OAFLAD), reaffirmed her commitment to leading collaborative efforts that provide practical solutions to these emerging threats. She emphasized that the initiative represents a unified step toward safeguarding vulnerable communities while empowering the next generation of female leaders.
“Our collective voice and action are essential in protecting and uplifting women and girls across Africa,” she noted, underscoring the shared responsibility to build a more resilient and inclusive future.
The visit by the Senegalese and Cape Verdean First Ladies is expected to strengthen regional cooperation and reinforce Africa’s united front in advocating for gender equality, human rights, and sustainable development.
