To mark International Girl Child Day on 11th October 2025, the Minister of Gender and Children’s Affairs, Dr. Isata Mahoi, extended her heartfelt congratulations to the remarkable girls of Sierra Leone. The day was celebrated by various partners who came together to raise awareness and highlight the importance of equal opportunities for Sierra Leonean girls.
Dr. Mahoi explained that the day serves to raise awareness about empowering girls and ensuring equal opportunities, which is essential for enabling them to step into leadership roles in the future. She recalled the historic moment in 1995, during the World Conference on Women in Beijing, when countries around the world came together to adopt the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. This declaration, she noted, was not only a framework for advancing women’s rights but also laid the foundation for the protection of girls’ rights.
“This special day is dedicated to ensuring that every girl can realize her fundamental rights. These rights include the right to live free from violence, to access and complete education, to make choices about marriage, to participate in decision-making processes, and to earn equal pay for equal work. These rights are essential for enabling our girls to reach their full potential as they grow,” she emphasized.
However, Dr. Mahoi pointed out that Sierra Leonean girls face significant challenges, such as sexual exploitation, teenage pregnancy, child marriage, harmful traditional practices, child labor, trafficking, stigma, and domestic violence. In response to these issues, the Ministry, in collaboration with child protection partners, commemorated the International Day of the Girl Child to reaffirm their commitment to safeguarding girls’ rights and raising awareness about the need to protect them from all forms of abuse.
As part of the Ministry’s mandate to coordinate and monitor child protection programs, Dr. Mahoi shared that the government has taken important steps to address these challenges. She revealed that the government is currently reviewing and revising the 2007 Child Rights Act and has developed a National Strategy for Children in Street Situations to better protect all children from abuse.
Additionally, the Ministry, in collaboration with its partners, has established One-Stop Centers across the districts to provide free, comprehensive services to survivors of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV). Dr. Mahoi reported that over 90 percent of cases reported to the One-Stop Centers, Rainbo Centres, or the Family Support Unit involve girls. She urged partners to work together to change this narrative and ensure better outcomes for girls.
She also highlighted the work of the Judiciary of Sierra Leone, which has established a Sexual Offences Model Court to fast-track cases related to sexual violence. This initiative has led to an increase in the prosecution of offenders. Moreover, the Ministry has set up a free, nationwide 116 hotline to improve access to services for survivors of SGBV.
For this year’s International Day of the Girl, the Ministry of Gender and Children’s Affairs, in collaboration with child protection partners, is empowering girls across the nation to amplify their voices and assert their rights. The theme for this year, “Our Time is Now, Our Rights, Our Future,” adapted from the global theme, underscores the importance of girls accessing equal opportunities and standing up for their rights, especially in the fight against abuse.
To ensure active participation and engagement, two key activities have been organized including media coverage, national girls’ games and sports and community engagement.
As partners celebrate this year’s International Day of the Girl Child, they have committed to redoubling their efforts to safeguard the rights of girls and guide them toward a brighter future. The Ministry also expressed admiration for the girls’ remarkable dedication to celebrating this important day and their unwavering advocacy for a safe environment, rights, and equal opportunities. Together, stakeholders are working to ensure that the future of Sierra Leonean girls remains free from suffering and full of promise.