By Sorie Ibrahim Fofanah
President Julius Maada Bio says there has been a 33% drop in teenage pregnancy and a 37% increase in girl-child education in Sierra Leone since 2018.
The President gave the statistics whilst delivering a Public Lecture at his Alma Mater- American University’s School of Public Service in the United States on the 15th of September this year.
Bio thanked the Ministry of Health and Sanitation and his wife Madam Fatima Bio for their efforts in the reduction of teenage pregnancy in Sierra Leone.
He said the figures for early child marriage have also dropped and Sierra Leone now has the highest percentage of girls completing primary school education in the whole of West Africa.
On gender and women's empowerment, Bio said his government takes girls' education 'seriously.'
"Ingesting in girls' education is a smart long-term investment for our nation," he said.
He added that they have worked to ensure gender parity in schools, with girls having higher retention and attachment in all national transition exams.
Bio said more girls are now studying STEAM disciplines, and that they have "higher transition rates into tertiary and vocational institutions. He noted that they have introduced free education for all girls studying STEAM disciplines.
Speaking on human capital development, he said that could not be achieved if any segment of society remains ‘overshadowed’
On one of his achievements as President, Bio said he signed the Progressive Gender Equality and Women Empowerment Act which ensures women receive equal pay for equal work and are able to amplify their voices in all societal domains, from the workplace to the political arena.
He said a minimum of 30 percent of the representation of women is guaranteed by law.
On commitment to remove the barriers of gender inequality, Bio said his government declared a state of emergency on rape and sexual and gender-based violence and is championing justice for the marginalized and the underprivileged under the Sexual Offences Act. He added that they have established a Legal Aid Board and a Special Court to expedite the adjudication of sexual offences.
He recalled how in 2021, Sierra Leone and the Federal Republic of Nigeria successfully moved a United Nations Resolution titled " International Cooperation for Activists and Justice Remedies and Assistance for the Survivors of Sexual Violence. “The law condemns all forms of sexual and gender-based violence in line with international law’’, he said.
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