27/04/2026
Sixty-five years ago, Sierra Leone claimed its independence with a promise ”that every citizen would have the freedom, dignity, and opportunity to shape their future” Today, as we commemorate this milestone, we must confront a harder truth! Independence was declared. But it has not been equally delivered.
Because independence is not proven by the passage of time.
It is proven by the distribution of power.
And by that measure, the work remains unfinished.
Across Sierra Leone, women continue to carry the weight of a nation they do not yet fully control. They are the backbone of communities, the drivers of informal economies, and the silent stabilizers of households, yet they remain underrepresented where decisions are made, resources are allocated, and futures are defined. “This is not accidental, It is structural”.
It is rooted in systems that normalize exclusion, in political spaces that resist parity, and in cultural practices that continue to limit the full expression of women’s rights and potential.
Consider this “while women make up more than half of the population, their representation in political leadership and high-level decision-making remains disproportionately low” Harmful practices such as Female Ge***al Mutilation persist, alongside widespread Gender-Based Violence (GBV), despite decades of advocacy and reform efforts.
This is not a failure of women.
It is a failure of systems.
And systems do not change through celebration alone.
They change through pressure, policy, and participation.
We therefore reject the idea that independence is complete.
We assert instead that independence is still being negotiated , especially for women and girls.
A truly independent Sierra Leone must be one where:
* Power is not inherited by tradition, but earned through equal access and opportunity
* Leadership reflects the full diversity of the nation, not a fraction of it
* Girls grow without fear of violence, coercion, or harmful practices
* Women engage freely in public life, physically, politically, economically, and digitally
This includes the right of women and girls to occupy digital spaces without harassment or intimidation. In a modern democracy, freedom of expression must extend to the online world, where ideas are shaped, movements are built, and voices are amplified.
We are clear:
This is not a women’s issue.
This is a national development issue.
No country can achieve sustainable growth, democratic stability, or climate resilience while systematically excluding half of its population from power.
As Sierra Leone confronts the realities of climate vulnerability, economic uncertainty, and governance reform, one truth must guide us “A nation that sidelines women cannot build resilience. It can only postpone its own progress”
We therefore move beyond symbolic commitments and make the following demands:
* Institutional Reform: Enforce and expand policies that guarantee women’s representation in leadership, including affirmative mechanisms where necessary
* Protection and Justice: Strengthen enforcement systems against GBV and eliminate harmful practices through coordinated legal, cultural, and economic strategies
* Economic Power: Invest in women’s access to finance, land, and enterprise opportunities at scale
* Digital Safety: Establish and enforce protections that ensure safe and equitable participation of women in digital spaces
These are not optional reforms.
They are the foundation of a functional democracy.
As the Young Women in Governance Network, we reaffirm our commitment not only to advocacy, but to action.
We will:
* Organize and mobilize women across all districts
* Build leadership pipelines for young women
* Hold institutions accountable to their commitments
* Challenge norms that sustain inequality
* Partner across sectors to drive systemic change
We will not wait for inclusion.
We will build it.
At 65, Sierra Leone stands at a crossroads.
One path continues the pattern: progress without parity, growth without justice, independence without inclusion.
The other path demands courage , to redistribute power, to confront tradition where it harms, and to build a nation that reflects the dignity of all its people.
History will remember which path we chose.
Let this be the turning point.
Let it be said that at 65, Sierra Leone moved from declared independence to delivered independence, from symbolic freedom to substantive equality.
Because independence without gender equality is not independence.
It is delay.And the time for delay has passed.
SEND - SIERRA LEONE
TERRA TECH Förderprojekte e.V.
Irish Aid
Ireland in Sierra Leone
Bundesministerium für wirtschaftliche Zusammenarbeit und Entwicklung (BMZ)
Ministry of Gender and Children's Affairs-SL
The Ministry of Information and Civic Education
His Excellency Julius Maada Bio
UNDP in Sierra Leone
Ayamga Awimboora Joseph
