On March 7, 2024, CSASE had the privilege of hosting the First Lady of Sierra Leone, Her Excellency Fatima Maada Bio, at Harvard Law School. In her public lecture titled “Breaking Barriers, Building Futures: Addressing Gender-Based Violence in the African Context,” Her Excellency highlighted her flagship Hands Off Our Girls campaign, which has successfully reduced the rates of sexual and gender-based violence, early marriage, teenage pregnancy, and child trafficking across the West African region. She persuasively advocated in support of socioeconomic policies to empower women around the globe and for justice-system reforms to combat harmful cultural practices rooted in patriarchal norms. Following her lecture, Her Excellency engaged in a stimulating fireside chat with Professor Diane Rosenfeld, HLS ’96, the Founding Director of the Gender Violence Program at Harvard Law School.
