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President and First Lady of Sierra Leone Vow to 'Lift the Lid' on Rape

Peter Clottey

   WASHINGTON - Sierra Leone's President Julius Maada Bio made
   international headlines when he declared rape and sexual violence a
   national emergency earlier this year. Voice of America's Peter Clottey
   sat down with the president and First Lady Fatima Maada Bio on the
   sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly recently and asked about their
   work to elevate the plight of women and girls in the West African
   nation.

   Bio said he sees improving the lives of women as a key way for the
   country to develop economically and in terms of health indicators.

   "I believe that if we have to develop as a nation on the world stage
   where women are in the majority we must treat them fairly, we must take
   them seriously and we must make them a part and parcel of sustainable
   development goals," he said. "Making sure that they are made to be
   productive and be part of the march towards sustainable development
   goals."

   In 2018, the rape of a five-year-old girl in Sierra Leone by her uncle
   that left her paralyzed generated outrage and calls for stricter laws.
   That same year instances of reported sexual violence rose to 8,505, an
   all-time high.
   

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