By: Mohamed J. Bangura
Sierra Leone’s First Lady and President of the Organization of African First Ladies for Development (OAFLAD), Mrs. Fatima Maada Bio, has called on African leaders to recognize women and girls as key drivers of resilience, peace and sustainable development rather than portraying them solely as victims of crises.
Mrs. Bio made the call on Wednesday, 14 October 2026, in Dakar, Senegal, where she led the official launch of the Building Resilience Campaign, a continental initiative being pioneered by Senegal’s First Lady, Mrs. Marie Khone Faye.
The campaign seeks to change perceptions of African women by highlighting their leadership, innovation and contributions to rebuilding communities and strengthening societies, alongside the social, economic and environmental challenges they face.
Addressing dignitaries and development partners at the launch, Mrs. Bio said Africa could not achieve lasting resilience if women and girls were excluded from decisions affecting their lives and communities.
She stressed that women’s participation must be central to efforts to address climate change, promote peace and security, expand economic opportunities and improve access to education.
According to Mrs. Bio, women farmers must be included in climate discussions, women must participate meaningfully in peacebuilding processes, and female entrepreneurs must receive the investment and support needed to grow their businesses and contribute to national economies.
She also emphasized the need to protect girls’ education, noting that educating and empowering girls was essential to building stronger communities and preparing future generations to overcome social and economic challenges.
Mrs. Bio maintained that resilience-building policies and programmes would remain incomplete if they overlooked the experiences, knowledge and leadership of women and girls, particularly those living in communities affected by poverty, conflict and climate-related challenges.
Citing Sierra Leone’s experience, she highlighted the Hands Off Our Girls campaign, which promotes the protection and empowerment of girls while encouraging collaboration among government institutions, communities, traditional and religious leaders, civil society organizations, the media, young people and development partners.
She said meaningful progress required collective action across all sectors of society, stressing that the responsibility for protecting and empowering women and girls should not rest solely with governments or women’s organizations.
The First Lady urged her counterparts across Africa to move beyond awareness campaigns and translate their commitments into practical interventions that deliver measurable results.
She called for stronger policies, increased investment and coordinated action to ensure that women and girls benefit from initiatives designed to strengthen resilience across the continent.
Her appeal comes as African countries continue to face interconnected challenges, including economic hardship, climate change, insecurity and social inequalities, which often place women and girls at greater risk.
The Building Resilience Campaign seeks to encourage African societies to recognize and harness women’s skills, experiences and leadership in addressing these challenges and strengthening communities.
Mrs. Bio’s role at the launch also highlights OAFLAD’s efforts to unite African First Ladies in advocating for development priorities that improve the lives of women, children and vulnerable communities.
She concluded by urging African First Ladies to ensure that their advocacy translates into tangible results through effective policies, sustained investment and accountability in delivering better outcomes for women and girls across the continent.