State House, Freetown, Saturday, 22 February 2025 – His Excellency Dr Julius Maada Bio has received two prestigious continental awards for his outstanding work and transformative leadership in advancing Gender Equality, Girl Child Education, and Human Capital Development in Sierra Leone.
The African HeForShe Champion of the Year—2024 and Presidential African Intelligence Award—2024 were presented to the President by Her Excellency Dr Joyce Banda, former President of Malawi and founder of the Joyce Banda Foundation, and Princess Dr Ocansey, founder of the Nakotech Centre for Excellence.
The HeForShe Movement, initiated by United Nations Women in 2014, is a global solidarity campaign that engages men and boys as key advocates and agents of change in the pursuit of gender equality. The African HeForShe Champion Award recognises African leaders who have shown exceptional dedication to advancing women’s rights, increasing female participation in governance, and fostering policies that promote gender equity across all sectors.
Under President Bio’s leadership, Sierra Leone has made significant progress in reducing gender disparities. Landmark legislation such as the Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment (GEWE) Act has paved the way for increased female representation in political and economic spheres. Furthermore, initiatives focused on education, healthcare, and financial inclusion for women have demonstrated the Government’s commitment to creating a more just and equitable society.
Similarly, President Bio, who is a Global Champion for Transforming Education, has aggressively transformed the education sector and promoted gender equality since his assumption of political office in 2018.
Under his leadership and with strong political will, the Government of Sierra Leone has increased school enrolment across the board by over one million additional learners. The Government also updated the education curricula at all levels to incorporate critical thinking, comprehension, computational thinking, creativity, and civic education.
President Bio has ensured that girls studying STEM subjects can receive a tuition-free education from primary through university. Additionally, thanks to his Government’s Radical Inclusion Policy, pregnant girls can return to school without discrimination.
In his acceptance speech, President Bio emphasised his Government’s commitment to achieving gender equality. He stated, “As I receive this award, I want to reiterate my unwavering support for the HeForShe movement and Human Capital Development. I will continue to advocate for policies that uplift and empower women because when women succeed, nations thrive.”
The ceremony featured discussions on the role of African leaders in dismantling barriers to gender equality and fostering inclusive governance structures. It also provided the visiting former President of Malawi, Dr Joyce Banda, and Founder and Executive Chairperson of the Nakotech Centre for Excellence, Princess Dr Ocansey, to discuss efforts at promoting legal
migration, the situation of African Migrants in the Middle East, as well as the work of Nakotech Centre’s US$100 Million Transfer2Transform initiative, which is helping African students get a scholarship to study STEM courses in Universities across the United States of America.
The event was attended by high-level dignitaries, including the Vice President, First Lady, Speaker of Parliament, Chief Justice, Government Ministers, Dean of the Diplomatic Corps, the United Nations Resident Coordinator and other Government Officials.
