SIERRA LEONE'S GENDER MINISTER SHINES @ UNGA 80 ON BEIJING +30Advancing Sierra Leone’s Voice for Gender Equality and Global Solidarity.

At the 80th United Nations General Assembly, Dr. Isata Mahoi, Sierra Leone’s Minister of Gender and Children’s Affairs, delivered a powerful address reaffirming the country’s unwavering commitment to the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, thirty years after its historic adoption.

Speaking on behalf of Sierra Leone, Dr. Mahoi showcased the nation’s bold reforms under the leadership of His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio. She cited landmark achievements, including the declaration of a national emergency on sexual and gender-based violence, the passage of the Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Act 2022 and its regulations, the Land Commission Act 2022, Customary Land Rights Act 2022, Public Elections Act 2022, Employment Act 2023, Mines and Minerals Development Act 2022, Prohibition of Child Marriage Act 2024, Child Rights Act 2025, and expanded access to reproductive health and rights for women and girls.

The Minister emphasized that education remains central to achieving gender equality, commending the government’s inclusive education drive and the First Lady’s tireless advocacy for girls’ empowerment. She urged that the gender agenda must not only resonate in global capitals but also reach every village in Sierra Leone.

Calling on global partners, Dr. Mahoi stressed the urgency of mobilizing predictable and adequate resources to close gender gaps, especially in Least Developed Countries and post-conflict contexts. “Now that the normative framework has been built, it must be protected,” she affirmed. “We must move from commitment to implementation, from rhetoric to results.” She added.

She further underscored the importance of mainstreaming gender equality across the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, noting that gender is not only a standalone goal but also a driving force for achieving all other goals.

Dr. Mahoi’s presence at UNGA 80 reaffirmed Sierra Leone’s leadership, resilience, and readiness to work across borders to eliminate discrimination, violence, and inequality.

Concluding her remarks, she declared: “It is not about talking, it is about action. It is about how we use our voices and our agency to transform lives.”

Communications Unit

Ministry of Gender and Children’s Affairs

Email: mkelson367@gmail.com