After school, Lucian Conteh joined her fellow girls, boys, girl champions and policymakers at the Saphyre Court Hall in Freetown. The 16-year old was representing her organisation, Patriots Against Corruption (PAC) – at the second edition of the Girls Rise Up Conference.

The event was organised by Girls Alliance Incorporation (GAI) in commemoration of the International Day of the Girl Child on October 11 2024. GAI was founded in 2018 to create a safe space for women and girls.

Lucian is a finalist at the Methodist Girls High School, one of the oldest schools in Sierra Leone, founded in 1880. The young girl was in her school uniform, a mauve striped dress and a beret, as she looked on attentively. About 200 people had gathered at the hall to listen to life-changing speeches, and in-depth panel discussions. Spaces like these have helped shape Lucian’s life.

“I want to become a lawyer, writer and gospel singer,” said Lucian. “At some point I started doubting myself, but after I listened to a speech at a conference, I conquered that.”

Lucian at the Girls Rise Up Conference
Photo credits: Ibrahim Mansaray/VR&C Marketing

Being the more vulnerable gender, girls in Sierra Leone have historically borne the brunt of the country’s socio-economic problems. Some of the issues girls face include being victims of sexual penetration, teenage pregnancy, gender-based violence, and being deprived of their right to education.

After the Ebola Virus Disease in 2014-15, about 14,500 were victims of teenage pregnancy. These girls benefited from support by the government and its development partners through unconventional schooling. However, not all of them could go back to school after their delivery.

Lucian is living with her mom, while her dad lives and works elsewhere to look after them. Both parents simultaneously dovetail to help Lucian achieve her dreams and not make mistakes that jeopardise her future.

Delegates at the Girls Rise Up Conference
Photo credits: Ibrahim Mansaray/VR&C Marketing

Efforts Towards Safeguarding the Sexual Health and Rights of the Girl Child

Sexual and reproductive health issues have affected the girl child over the years. Issues like menstruation, period poverty and others have kept girls away from school and have affected their overall wellbeing.

About 20% of girls miss school while they are in their monthly cycle. People are now taking actions. Thanks to both the government and non-governmental organisations.

The government has passed several legislations and policies supporting women and girls. In December 2018, the First Lady, Fatima Maada Bio launched the “Hands off our Girls” campaign.

Under the “Hands off our girls” campaign, the government distributed sanitary pads to girls in government and government-assisted schools.

In 2019, the government amended The Sexual offences Act, introducing life imprisonment and harsher sentences for rape and sexual offences. Recently, the government passed The Prohibition of the Child Marriage Act 2024. The government made these laws and policies to ensure a safe space for girls and women.

Complementing the Government’s Efforts

GAI’s programmes go beyond organising conferences. They also support girls reproductive health and rights.

“On World Menstrual Hygiene Day, we provided menstrual pads to girls in vulnerable communities,” said Fatmata Sankoh, co-founder of GAI.

“Together with the girls, we explored the topic of menstruation as a human right and dispelled the myth surrounding it,” Fatmata said.

The Empowered Girls Advocacy (TEGA) was founded in July 2021, by Lala Sidibe. The organisation has focused on empowering girls aged nine to 18 years. On World Menstrual Hygiene Day, TEGA provided sanitary pads to 120 girls at the Freetown City Hall.

“During prize giving ceremonies, we also award prizes to girls who perform extremely well in school to motivate others,” said Isatu Fatimah Bah, Assistant Communication officer at TEGA.

The Girls Not Bride Network has also been engaging communities on keeping girls in schools and avoiding early marriage. The network’s founder Bockarie M. Conteh said they engage school girls to say no to early marriage and parents to not consent to it. They view early marriage as slavery.

With the recently passed prohibition on child marriage law, Conteh and his network are hopeful that more girls will stay in school and not become wives at an early age. The law criminalises any and every involvement in child marriage including attending the wedding of a minor.

School girls, teachers and members of TEGA pose for a photo after pads were distributed to 120 girls on World Menstrual Hygiene Day

Schools For Salone’s Contribution

Like Girls Alliance, Schools for Salone (SfS), a seattle-based foundation, is also helping children stay in school in Sierra Leone. Committed to transforming communities through children’s access to quality education, SFS provides school materials for pupils in the country.

SFS also distributes Days for Girls kits (DfG), a reusable menstrual pad consisting waterproof shield and absorbent liner. This menstrual hygiene drive which is implemented in partnership with ‘Uman Tok’ has reached 11,000 women and girls with reproductive health education.

10,000 of these women and girls have received the Days for Girls kits since 2016. The DfG pads are locally produced by women employed by Uman Tok.

Asmaa James, a Girl Champion

At the Girls Rise Up Conference, a familiar face showed up. This wasn’t the first time Lucian was seeing Asmaa James at a Girl’s conference.

The veteran journalist and Sierra Leone’s ambassador-designate to Belgium has worked extensively for women and girls in Sierra Leone. Through her organisation, Girls Plus, Asmaa has been reaching out to girls from all backgrounds, providing support, mentorship and sexual health and rights education.

Girls Plus was also instrumental in the abolition of child marriage in Sierra Leone. Previously the Black Tuesday Movement, a Girls Plus project, was pivotal in changing Sierra Leone laws.

The movement which started with wearing black in solidarity with rape survivors, grew into an outreach campaign, educating communities on safeguarding the girl child. The Black Tuesday movement has also been reaching out to schools.

Like in many cases, the Asmaa encouraged girls to be girls and harness their full potential.

Asmaa James delivering a speech at the Girls Rise Up Conference
Photo credits: Mohamed Harass Barrie

A Brighter Future for the Girl Child in Sierra Leone

Lucian dreams of a sparkling bright future. With the enabling environment created by the government, development partners and private organisations, she sees this dream becoming a reality. Her peers also feel confident of becoming impactful women in society. More girls are now in school. The UNICEF Sierra Leone 2023 annual report revealed that primary completion rates and transition to secondary school rates are higher for girls for the first time in Sierra Leone.

“I’m pursuing my dreams and becoming what I have set out to become,” said Lucian.