Sierra Leone’s First Lady Dr. Fatima Maada Bio held an interactive meeting with the National Executive of Women in the Media Sierra Leone (WIMSAL) at her office in Freetown at Goderich on Tuesday 8th August 2023.
Addressing Her Excellency, the WIMSAL President Mrs. Eastina Taylor expressed her thanks and appreciation to the first lady for firstly agreeing to meet with them at such a short notice, and also to commend her for her outstanding role in the fight against child marriage, Sexual and Gender Based Violence, teenage pregnancy and all forms of abuses against women and girls in the country.
She noted that the essence of their visit was to discuss how women in the media Sierra Leone could complement and strengthen the initiatives undertaken by the office of the first Lady, and how they could work together to tackle all forms of abuses against women and girls in the country.
Madam Taylor appreciated her Excellency for her stance in promoting, defending and protecting women and girls in the country and for introducing the Hands Off our Girls Campaign, a campaign which according to her, has helped transform the lives of many Sierra Leonean children.
She invited the First Lady to serve as an associate member of WIMSAL, owing to the fact that the First Lady has a background in journalism and has also been a strong advocate for gender issues.
The WIMSAL President explained in detailed the challenges her organization has gone through over the past 16 years, and how they have fought to stay functional.
She appealed to the First Lady to support them with scholarship as some of their members are in dire need of such support.
In her response, Her Excellency Dr. Fatima Maada Bio congratulates the newly elected WIMSAL executive on their new responsibilities and wish them well in their tenure.
She acknowledged the concerns raised by the WIMSAL President and assured her of her intervention in key areas that are of great importance to the organization.
“I will help with few scholarships for our women who are striving to continue their university education, and also see how best I can support in renting an office space for the organization,” she assured them.
The First Lady uses the opportunity to speak to the minds of the women who were present at the meeting when she had to elaborate on some of the challenges she has undertaken as a woman in the quest to effect change for women and girls in the country.
“Journalism is not a play safe profession, it’s about doing the right thing, irrespective of your political biases; I challenge you to stand for what you believed in and stop allowing the men to supress your voices,” she noted.
Dr. Fatima Maada Bio assured them that she is willing to partner with WIMSAL as and when they are ready. “I want us to come and put ideas together and come up with a program that we can all implement together as women,” she said.
