By Emma Black
His Lordship Honourable Justice Komba Kamanda, has on 12 December 2025 called for the urgent enactment of robust laws and the formulation of inclusive policies to strengthen the resilience of women and girls across Africa, stressing that sustainable development cannot be achieved without their full protection and participation.
Addressing participants at a high-level international conference under the theme “Building Resilience for Women and Girls in the Face of Climate Change and Conflict,” the Chief Justice described climate change armed conflict as two of the gravest threats facing the continent, with women and girls bearing the heaviest burden.
He noted that increasing floods, droughts, storms, hurricanes, and rising temperatures continue to devastate homes, livelihoods, and critical infrastructure, pushing already vulnerable communities further into hardship. In conflict situations, he added, women—often the backbone of household survival are exposed to violence, displacement, interrupted education, and limited access to land and essential resources.
These challenges persist not because women are weak, Justice Kamanda emphasized, “but because systems and institutions have failed to adequately protect them.”
Despite these realities, he underscored that women and girls remain the foundation of resilience within families, communities, and nations, calling on governments and institutions to dismantle legal, social, and economic barriers that hinder their progress.
The First Lady of Sierra Leone and President of the Organization of African First Ladies for Development (OAFLAD), Her Excellency Mrs. Fatima Maada Bio, expressed appreciation to visiting First Ladies from across the continent and commended the Judiciary for its unwavering commitment to the protection of women’s and girls’ rights.
Thank you, Chief Justice, she said, praising the leadership of Honourable Justice Komba Kamanda and reaffirming the Judiciary’s role in advancing gender justice.
Mrs. Bio emphasized that the gathering was not a symbolic event but a decisive step toward action. She noted that the initiative seeks to ignite collective change through unity of purpose—one mission and one Africa focused on empowering women and girls.
Delivering the keynote address at the official launch of the Building Resilience Campaign 2025–2027, His Excellency President Dr. Julius Maada Bio stated that true resilience is impossible without the meaningful inclusion of women at every level of society, from grassroots communities to national governance.
Identifying himself as a HeForShe champion, President Bio stressed that empowerment is the cornerstone of resilience, Africa cannot build resilience by excluding those who face the greatest storms,” he said, describing women as powerful agents and catalysts for sustainable change.
Statements of commitment were also delivered by several African First Ladies, including Madam Marie Khone Faye of Senegal, Madam Débora Katisa Carvalho of Cape Verde, Madam Kartumu Yarta Boakai of Liberia, Madam Zita Oligui Nguema of Gabon, and Madam Angeline Ndayubaha Ndayishimiye of Burundi, all pledged to roll out similar resilience-building campaigns in their respective countries.
Copyright –Published in Expo Times News on Monday, 15th December 2025 (ExpoTimes News – Expo Media Group (expomediasl.com)
