New York, Wednesday, 23 September 2026 – His Excellency, President Dr. Julius Maada Bio has commended First Lady Fatima Bio for her determination and advocacy in the global fight against child, early and forced marriage, while announcing three further national commitments to strengthen Sierra Leone’s efforts to protect girls and eliminate the practice.
President Bio made the remarks at a high-level event in New York on the margins of the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly, following the 4 September 2026 adoption by consensus of a Sierra Leone-led resolution establishing 27 November as the International Day for the Elimination of Child, Early and Forced Marriage.
The high-level gathering was graced by President Bassirou Diomaye Faye of Senegal, Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority, and First Lady Marie Khone Faye, alongside several other First Ladies and distinguished representatives of Governments, the United Nations system and civil society.
Sierra Leone served as the main sponsor of the resolution alongside 84 co-sponsoring countries, taking the country’s national campaign against child marriage to the highest level of global decision-making. President Bio described the adoption as a historic achievement for girls worldwide and a significant milestone in Sierra Leone’s leadership on the issue.
“At a time of deep global division, every Member State agreed that no girl should lose her childhood, education or future through marriage,” President Bio said.
He specifically commended First Lady Fatima Bio for her determination to advance the issue, saying her advocacy had helped bring greater attention to the need for stronger action to protect girls from child marriage. The President also acknowledged Zambia and Canada for their earlier work in laying the foundation for the initiative, and paid tribute to President Hakainde Hichilema, the African Union Champion on Ending Child Marriage, as well as the United Nations system, civil society organisations, survivors and advocates who have sustained the campaign.
President Bio said the establishment of the International Day provides a permanent global platform to maintain attention, mobilise action and assess progress towards eliminating child, early and forced marriage. He noted that more than 640 million girls and women alive today were married in childhood, while millions of girls continue to be married before adulthood each year.
“These numbers represent a girl whose education may have ended, whose health may have been placed at risk and whose choices were taken away before she was old enough to make them,” he said.
President Bio stressed that child marriage is not simply a private family matter, but a violation of rights with serious consequences for national development.
“A country that allows its daughters to be married too early pays the price for generations,” he said.
President Bio said Sierra Leone’s leadership at the global level is grounded in concrete national action. He pointed to the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, which he signed into law in July 2024, establishing 18 as the minimum age of marriage without exception and providing accountability for those who facilitate child marriage.
He stressed, however, that legislation must be matched by opportunities that enable girls to remain in school, access healthcare and build independent futures. In that regard, he cited the Free Quality School Education programme, the Radical Inclusion Policy, which enables pregnant girls and young mothers to continue their education, and the Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Act 2022.
He also emphasised the importance of listening to girls themselves, saying their experiences and aspirations should guide the laws, policies and programmes designed to protect them.
While acknowledging progress, President Bio said more work remains to strengthen enforcement, birth and marriage registration, public awareness and community engagement, particularly in vulnerable and hard-to-reach communities. He called on traditional and religious leaders, parents, teachers, civil society, men and boys to play their part, stressing that while the law sets the standard, communities must help uphold it.
Building on Sierra Leone’s national and global efforts, President Bio announced three further commitments.
First, Sierra Leone will develop a comprehensive National Action Plan to eliminate child, early and forced marriage.
Second, Government will strengthen implementation of the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act through improved enforcement, registration, education and community engagement.
Third, beginning with the first International Day on 27 November 2026, Sierra Leone will report on its progress and share lessons learned with other Member States.
President Bio also called on Governments and development partners to provide sustained financing for girls’ education and protection and for the effective enforcement of national laws.
“If we are serious about achieving Sustainable Development Goal Target 5.3, our resources must match our declarations,” he said.
The President stressed that the success of the global initiative would not be measured by ceremonies or statements, but by tangible improvements in the lives of girls.
“It will be measured by the number of children protected from early marriage, kept in school and given the freedom to determine their own futures,” he said.
He called on Governments, communities, traditional and religious leaders, families and development partners to work together to ensure that every child is protected by law, supported by society and heard in decisions affecting their lives.
President Bio urged the international community to make 27 November a day of accountability, renewed commitment and measurable progress towards ending child, early and forced marriage.
The event concluded with a vote of thanks delivered by First Lady Fatima Bio, who expressed appreciation to the distinguished guests, partner organisations, advocates and all those whose commitment contributed to advancing the global campaign against child, early and forced marriage.
The First Lady’s closing remarks brought the high-level gathering to a close, underscoring the shared responsibility to translate the newly established International Day into sustained action and measurable progress for girls around the world.
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