The 76th Session of the United Nations General Assembly has unanimously adopted the Africa Group Resolution on Widowhood promulgated by the Permanent Mission of Sierra Leone to the United Nations in New York, USA.

The adopted Resolution seeks to raise awareness about the human rights violations and harmful practices widows around the world endure especially in Africa and calls upon the member states, the UN, and other stakeholders to take actions within their respective mandates to address the discrimination, abuse, and exclusion from public life experienced by widows.

In his remarks, after the adoption of the resolution, the Permanent Representative of Sierra Leone to the United Nations, His Excellency Alhaji Fanday Turay noted that Sierra Leone has been a torchbearer for widows and will continue to stand with the many torchbearers that came on board to support the laudable and noble initiative of putting seminal legislation on the floor of the UN General Assembly promoting and protecting the rights of widows around the world.

He further noted that the adoption of the resolution presents an opportunity for global solidarity and cooperation to address the plight of all widows without discrimination.

The Permanent Representative acknowledged the role played by the Global Funds for Widows especially on information sharing, and how that interaction has shed more light on the issue of unavailability of accurate data, which had always been a major concern to Sierra Leone and that even after the adoption of the resolution if that issue is not addressed, it could prevent stakeholders from adequately addressing the unique needs and human rights challenges widows face.

Ambassador Fanday Turay concluded his intervention by reaffirming Sierra Leone’s commitment to ensuring a more gender-equal world and addressing critical gaps in policy and practice to achieve gender equality and the SDGs in fulfillment of our promise of “LEAVING NO ONE BEHIND”.
Sierra Leone’s Minister of Social Welfare madam Baidu Dansama-Kamara was at the General Assembly Hall for the ceremony.