Hon. Bernadette Wuyatta Songa, President of the Sierra Leone Female Parliamentary Caucus (SLeFPaC), has described Parliament’s constitutional review process as a key nation-building exercise aimed at strengthening equality, justice, dignity, and inclusion for women in Sierra Leone.
She made the remarks during a two-day engagement on the Constitutional Amendment Act 2025, where women parliamentarians gathered to review proposed reforms and advocate for stronger protections of women’s rights.
Hon. Songa highlighted significant national progress in advancing gender equality, citing key laws such as the Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Act, the Sexual Offences Act, the Domestic Violence Act, and the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act. She noted that these legal frameworks have contributed significantly to the protection and empowerment of women and girls across the country.
However, she stressed that these gains must now be firmly safeguarded within the Constitution to ensure their long-term protection and enforcement.
Women parliamentarians at the engagement also reaffirmed their commitment to amplifying the voices and aspirations of women nationwide, pledging continued advocacy for inclusive and equitable governance.
The discussions form part of ongoing efforts to strengthen Sierra Leone’s constitutional framework ahead of anticipated reforms under the Constitutional Amendment Act 2025.
