By: Saidu Jalloh
The Ministry of Gender and Children’s Affairs joined the rest of the world on 8th March 2025 to celebrate International Women’s Day (IWD). International Women’s Day, which gained global recognition in 1977 through a UN General Assembly proclamation, designates 8th March as a day to honour and acknowledge the struggles of women for equality and advancement. Since its declaration, IWD has become a global occasion to reflect on and monitor progress towards gender equality and women’s empowerment.
The theme for this year’s International Women’s Day, “For ALL Women and Girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment.,” emphasises the challenges women face in their everyday lives. It calls for a renewed commitment to promote equal rights, power, and opportunities for all, envisioning a feminist future where no one is left behind. Empowering the next generation particularly young women and adolescent girls is central to this vision, as they are key drivers of lasting change.
Dr. Mahoi, Minister of Gender and Children’s Affairs, expressed that this year’s IWD celebration is particularly significant, marking 40 years since Sierra Leone observed its first IWD celebration in 1985.
Additionally, it marks 30 years since the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action at the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing, China, in 1995. Since its adoption, the Beijing Declaration has remained the most progressive and widely endorsed framework for the promotion of women and girls’ rights globally.
It guides policies and programs addressing 12 critical areas, including education, health, peace, media, political participation, economic empowerment, and the elimination of violence against women and girls.
This year’s IWD celebration focuses on the progress, challenges, and future directions for implementing the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, 30 years after its adoption. It aims to highlight the gains made, especially in establishing frameworks and mechanisms for the implementation of the 12 critical areas. The celebration also serves as an opportunity to reflect on the broader challenges and the way forward for the continued empowerment of women, as articulated in the Beijing Platform.
“As part of this year’s IWD celebration, the Ministry of Gender and Children’s Affairs, with support from the IWD steering committee, is rolling out a series of activities to increase public awareness and understanding of the normative frameworks that facilitate the implementation of the Beijing Declaration,” Dr. Mahoi asserted.
“These activities will also reflect on the broader challenges and seek to mobilise communities and stakeholders for the effective implementation of the 12 critical areas.”
The Minister highlighted that nationwide media and community awareness programs have been conducted across all districts of the country.
A highly productive Two-Day High-Level National Policy Dialogue was held, focusing on the progress, challenges, and future directions for implementing the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action.
Dr. Mahoi explained that over the past 30 years, Sierra Leone has made significant progress, especially in establishing normative frameworks for the promotion of women’s rights. Recent years have seen the adoption of progressive legislation, policies, and strategies that have notably improved women’s political and socio-economic status.
Noteworthy among these is the GEWE Act (Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Act) and related legislation, which have created an enabling environment for greater participation and representation of women in politics and public offices, gender equality in employment, and improved access to finance, land, and other productive resources.
In addition, there have been sustained efforts to combat sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), highlighted by the passage of laws such as the Sexual Offences Amendment Act of 2019 and the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act of 2024. Other strategic interventions include the establishment of One-Stop Centres for SGBV service provision, a Sexual Offences Model Court, a Toll-Free Help Line for Rape, the revision of the SGBV Referral Protocol, and the introduction of the GBV Information Management System.
On this special occasion, Dr. Mahoi expressed her profound gratitude to His Excellency, Retired Brigadier Julius Maada Bio, for his unwavering commitment to gender equality and women’s empowerment. His dedication has been internationally recognised, with his recent award as a champion for women’s rights in Africa.
She also extended her appreciation to Her Excellency, the First Lady, for her tremendous contributions to shaping the future of girls through initiatives like Hands Off Our Girls. The First Lady’s recent election as President of African First Ladies for Development is a testament to her outstanding work as a staunch advocate for the rights of women and girls.
In closing, Dr. Mahoi wished a Happy International Women’s Day to the women of Sierra Leone and all the HeForShe supporters, acknowledging their vital roles in the ongoing fight for gender equality and empowerment.
