By Ishmael Bayoh
Information Attaché, Sierra Leone Embassy, Dakar, Senegal
DAKAR, SENEGAL, October 14, 2026: Sierra Leone’s First Lady and President of the Organization of African First Ladies for Development (OAFLAD), Her Excellency Dr. Fatima Maada Bio, has called for a paradigm shift in the way African women are portrayed, urging governments, institutions, media organizations, and development partners to recognize and celebrate women not merely as victims of crises but as key drivers of resilience, recovery, and sustainable development.
She made the appeal on Wednesday during the official launch of the “Building Resilience Campaign” at the Evasion Marine Conference Centre in Dakar, Senegal. The campaign, a continental initiative spearheaded under her leadership as President of OAFLAD, seeks to strengthen the role of women and girls in building resilient communities across Africa while promoting policies and investments that address the challenges they face.
The initiative is being championed in Senegal by the country’s First Lady, Her Excellency Mrs. Marie Khone Faye, and aims to amplify the voices, experiences, and achievements of African women while fostering collective action on issues affecting their health, dignity, security, and livelihoods.
The launch attracted African First Ladies and development stakeholders from across the continent, underscoring a united commitment to empowering women and girls to confront the growing impacts of climate change, conflict, economic instability, and social inequalities.
Addressing the gathering, Dr. Fatima Maada Bio stressed that Africa’s aspirations for sustainable development and resilience cannot be achieved if women and girls, who make up nearly half of the continent’s population, remain excluded from decision-making processes and opportunities.
“Africa cannot build resilient societies while half of its population is left behind,” she stated. “Women and girls must be at the centre of development efforts and fully included in decision-making processes at every level.”
The First Lady highlighted the indispensable role women play in advancing critical sectors of society, emphasizing that solutions to major global and continental challenges must include women as active participants and leaders.
“We cannot speak about climate change without speaking about women farmers. We cannot speak about peace without the meaningful participation of women. We cannot discuss economic recovery without investing in women’s entrepreneurship, and we cannot speak about the future without protecting girls’ education,” she said.
Her remarks resonated strongly with participants who acknowledged the disproportionate impact that crises often have on women and girls while also recognizing their capacity to lead transformative responses within their communities.
Drawing from Sierra Leone’s own experience, Dr. Fatima Maada Bio cited the success of her flagship ‘Hands Off Our Girls’ campaign as a practical example of how collective action can drive social transformation and achieve measurable results.
She explained that the campaign’s achievements were not the result of a single institution or individual effort but rather the outcome of broad-based collaboration involving government agencies, traditional and religious leaders, civil society organizations, development partners, the media, young people, and women themselves.
“Real change happens when everyone works together toward a common goal,” she noted, emphasizing that comprehensive partnerships remain essential for advancing the rights and welfare of women and girls across the continent.
The OAFLAD President further challenged African First Ladies and stakeholders to move beyond awareness-raising initiatives and focus on delivering tangible and measurable outcomes through policy reforms, strategic investments, and sustained advocacy.
“Our work must move from awareness to action, from advocacy to policy, and from promises to measurable impact,” she said.
Observers at the launch described the Building Resilience Campaign as a timely intervention, particularly as African countries continue to grapple with climate-related disasters, displacement, food insecurity, and economic pressures that disproportionately affect women and vulnerable populations.
The initiative is expected to support stronger continental collaboration among African First Ladies, governments, development agencies, and community-based organizations in promoting gender-responsive policies and programs that enhance resilience and inclusive development.
As OAFLAD continues to champion women’s empowerment across Africa, Dr. Fatima Maada Bio’s message in Dakar reinforced a growing call for a new narrative—one that recognizes African women not only for the challenges they face but for their leadership, innovation, and critical contribution to shaping a more resilient and prosperous continent.