Empowering girls in Africa: A Q&A with Sierra Leone First Lady Fatima Maada Bio
In this fireside chat, Fatima Maada Bio, first lady of the Republic of Sierra Leone, discussed the critical importance of empowering girls and women to shape Africa’s future. Drawing from her personal experience of escaping child marriage, Bio has become a committed advocate for gender equality. Her flagship “Hands Off Our Girls” campaign has reduced sexual violence and child marriage. She has also advocated for free sanitary pads in schools and championed the annual United Nations World Day for the Prevention of and Healing from Child Sexual Exploitation, Abuse, and Violence.
SPEAKERS
Fatima Maada Bio First lady of the Republic of Sierra Leone
MODERATOR
Jesse Bump Executive director Takemi Program in International Health; Lecturer on Global Health Policy, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
