By Janet A. Sesay
The Regional Director for West and Central Africa of UN Women, Dr. Maxime Houinato, has expressed strong admiration for Sierra Leone’s progress in advancing women’s empowerment and narrowing the gender gap.
Speaking at a press conference in Freetown on Friday during his official visit, Dr. Houinato said he was impressed by the country’s regulatory frameworks and policies aimed at promoting gender equality.
He noted that Sierra Leone has demonstrated both “commitment and vision” in addressing longstanding challenges affecting women and girls.
According to the Regional Director, the Government of Sierra Leone, particularly President Julius Maada Bio, has shown remarkable dedication to women and youth development. “Sierra Leone is having the commitment and the vision. Some countries don’t have the vision,” he stated, describing the political will as a critical pillar in sustaining the women empowerment drive.
Dr. Houinato, however, emphasized that while having a clear vision is essential, it is not sufficient on its own.
He stressed that successful implementation requires collective effort from all citizens, including civil society, traditional leaders, the private sector, and the judiciary. “If this vision must become a reality, it will take the cooperation of everyone,” he said.
On continental comparisons, he observed that Sierra Leone is making significant headway in women’s empowerment, even surpassing some larger nations such as Nigeria in certain aspects.
While acknowledging that countries like Senegal may currently be ahead in some indicators, he expressed confidence that Sierra Leone is on the right trajectory.
The UN Women Regional Director also reaffirmed the organization’s firm stance against harmful practices such as child marriage, Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), and other forms of gender-based violence.
He noted that the organization engages traditional and community leaders worldwide to confront these issues, adding that violations are not confined to rural areas. “Sometimes the situation is worse in towns than in the provinces,” he cautioned.
He further underscored that UN Women does not only advocate for the protection of women but also fights impunity. The agency, he said, supports sensitization campaigns while simultaneously working with judicial institutions to ensure perpetrators of violence against women are held accountable.
Adding her voice, the Head of Office of UN Women in Sierra Leone, Sètchémè Jéronime M. Mongbo, highlighted the transformative impact of the Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment (GEWE) Act. She described the legislation as a landmark framework that empowers women to thrive alongside their male counterparts.
She disclosed that since the Act came into effect, women’s participation in governance has increased from less than 14 percent to above the 30 percent threshold a development she described as “a huge leap forward.” “For me, the implementation phase has been fast,” she remarked.
Mongbo emphasized that sustained progress depends on widespread public awareness of the law. She called on stakeholders to popularize the provisions of the GEWE Act to ensure that ordinary citizens fully understand their rights and responsibilities.
She also revealed that UN Women has supported the Government of Sierra Leone in establishing seven out of the eight One-Stop Centres across the country to address sexual and gender-based violence. The organization continues to support the operations of these centers to ensure victims receive timely and comprehensive assistance.
As the global lead of the UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women and Girls, she said UN Women remains committed to complementing government efforts by aligning its programmes with national priorities to accelerate gender equality and safeguard the rights of women and girls across Sierra Leone.