AYV News, December 18, 2025
Sierra Leone’s First Lady, Her Excellency Fatima Maada Bio, in collaboration with esteemed African First Ladies, officially launched the National Building Resilience Campaign 2025-2027 in Freetown on Friday, 12 December 2025, to mark the anniversary of the ‘Hands Off Our Girls’ campaign.
This initiative is strategically designed to fortify protection mechanisms for women and girls, fostering resilience in the context of increasing climate change impacts and conflict.
During the launch, First Lady Bio underscored that the campaign represents a substantive movement to proactively support women and girls before crises materialize. She articulated that cultivating resilience entails establishing robust frameworks that ensure no woman is compelled to compromise her safety for survival, ultimately fostering a future that celebrates the inherent strength of African women.
“Distinguished First Ladies of Africa, we have achieved significant milestones through the ‘We Are Equal’ campaign, demonstrating the collective power of African women leading with courage and unity,” she stated. “While this campaign commences in Sierra Leone, its reach must extend across the continent. I urge each of you to champion this initiative in your respective nations, igniting transformative change across our great continent. United, we will operate with one voice, one mission, one Africa.”
First Lady Bio formally acknowledged the invaluable contributions of partners, government institutions, NGOs, community leaders, and students, soliciting their sustained engagement to advance women’s resilience and protection. She also expressed profound gratitude to her husband, President Julius Maada Bio, for his unwavering advocacy for women’s rights and dignity, noting that his support significantly reinforces her capacity to lead with conviction and empathy.
The First Lady commended her counterparts for their dedication to mobilizing critical investments for climate resilience, empowering youth, promoting gender-responsive policies, and expanding access to essential services. Furthermore, she extended appreciation to all supporters of her advocacy work, particularly those actively involved in enhancing the well-being of women and girls in Sierra Leone.
The campaign, titled “Building Resilience for Women and Girls in the Face of Climate Change and Conflict,” is scheduled to run from 2025 through 2027. Its core objectives are to empower women and girls, strengthen regional cooperation, and establish more robust support systems for vulnerable populations across the African continent.
