New York City March 10, 2026 Isata Mahoi, Sierra Leone’s Minister of Gender and Children’s Affairs, has called for transformative action to ensure that justice is a tangible reality for women and girls, rather than merely a constitutional commitment.
Speaking at the Ministerial Round Table on Access to Justice for Women and Girls during the 70th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW70) in New York City, Minister Mahoi emphasized the importance of establishing fair and inclusive legal systems that protect rights, promote gender equality, and facilitate sustainable development.
She highlighted Sierra Leone’s ongoing efforts to eliminate barriers that hinder women and girls from accessing justice. Currently, the government is engaged in a constitutional review process designed to eliminate discriminatory provisions and enhance gender equality within the nation’s supreme law. Mahoi noted that women’s groups had submitted sixteen key recommendations during this review, most of which the government has accepted, marking a significant step toward a more gender-responsive constitutional framework.
The Minister also addressed ongoing initiatives aimed at bolstering laws and policies to combat sexual and gender-based violence, protect family and child rights, and uphold women’s rights to property, nationality, and participation in public life.
However, she cautioned that despite these advancements, structural barriers such as poverty, illiteracy, stigma, and the urban-rural divide continue to obstruct access to justice for many women and girls. Mahoi concluded her address by urging stronger collaboration among governments, civil society organizations, and international partners to dismantle discriminatory systems and ensure that justice is never distant, delayed, or denied to women and girls.
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