UN Women Regional Director Arrives in Sierra Leone to Advance Gender Equality Agenda.

UN Women Regional Director for West and Central Africa, Dr. Maxime Houinato, has arrived in Freetown for an official mission to reinforce partnerships with the Government and stakeholders driving gender equality and women’s empowerment.

Addressing journalists on Monday, Dr. Houinato described Sierra Leone’s advancement of women’s rights and inclusion as a pivotal model for the wider sub-region. He noted ongoing national initiatives empowering women and girls to contribute meaningfully to economic growth and social transformation.

Dr. Houinato outlined four priority areas guiding his visit: expanding women’s participation in national decision-making; boosting their engagement in business and agriculture; shifting social norms to reduce violence against women; and embedding women into community conflict resolution structures.

“Peace at the community level becomes sustainable only when women participate fully,” Dr. Houinato emphasized. He added that women’s economic productivity depends heavily on their safety at home, in public spaces, and within work environments.

The Regional Director welcomed Sierra Leone’s Government Accountability Framework, which mandates Ministries, Departments, and Agencies submit annual reports on implementation of the Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Act 2022 through the Ministry of Gender. He described this mechanism as a clear demonstration of Sierra Leone’s commitment to institutional reform.

“Women’s advancement never comes at men’s expense,” Dr. Houinato stated. “Every nation progresses on two feet, male and female.”

Minister of Gender and Children’s Affairs, Dr. Isata Mahoi, characterized the visit as an invaluable opportunity for firsthand observation of national programmes supporting young women across agriculture, health, and enterprise development sectors.

“Government alone cannot deliver transformative change,” Dr. Mahoi stressed. “Meaningful progress demands collaborative partnership.”

Dr. Mahoi further revealed that Sierra Leone’s accountability framework, which extends to both ministries and private sector institutions under gender equality policies, has already captured international attention, with other countries expressing interest in adopting similar models.

Dr. Houinato’s itinerary includes travel to Bo District and meetings with senior government officials, development partners, women’s groups, and His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio to explore avenues for deeper cooperation.

Dr. Houinato expressed optimism regarding lessons drawn from Sierra Leone’s post-conflict recovery and women’s integration into development and peacebuilding efforts. He emphasized that these experiences hold significant potential for sharing across West and Central Africa, ultimately strengthening regional progress toward gender equality.

Correspondent-Kelvin Mark Kargbo

Communications Unit

Ministry of Gender and Children’s Affairs

Email: mkelson367@gmail.com