International Women's Day | March 8, 2022
On International Women's Day 2022, I pray every girl in Sierra Leone gets access to the quality of education I had in Freetown in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. Before economic instability and one of the longest wars, Sierra Leone had made many gains and built on infrastructures post-independence. Today, women in Sierra Leone have a lot of freedoms on paper, yet they face some of the most daunting challenges against pervasive sexism. Take, for example, Freetown's embattled mayor; the ousted auditor general; and beleaguered election watch activist. These three women are abused and harassed for just doing their job. Only a few weeks ago, one political operative (and his mother!) walked into the office of a public servant and assaulted her. No doubt about it, Sierra Leone is as unfriendly to women holding public office as ordinary women striving to make a living. It’s still one of the worst countries to be a girl child—a place where living is a constant battle against sexual haras