Ishmael Bayoh, Information Attachè
The Minister of Gender and Children’s Affairs, Dr. Isata Mahoi has disclosed during a panel discussion on ‘Exploring How Innovation, Policy and Partnership Can Scale Access to Clean Cooking Solutions’ that President Julius Maada Bio has elevated clean cooking to a national priority.
She was a participant at the West and Central Africa Regional Adolescent Girls Summit held in Dakar, Co-organized by Adolescent girls in partnership with the Government of Senegal and the UNICEF Regional Office for West and Central Africa.
The summit took place within the framework of the International Day of the Girl, annually celebrated on 11 October as it brought together adolescent girls, boys, national and regional leaders, technical experts and development partners to support a Regional Girls’ Agenda. The Sierra Leone Ambassador to Senegal, H.E Ibrahim Turay also attended the summit.
Dr. Isata Mahoi disclosed that in Sierra Leone, the urgency to scale access to clean cooking stems from the daily realities of women and children. She referred to it as not merely an energy issue, but a gender equality imperative matter, a public health concern, and a child protection priority.
“This political commitment is reflected in the Sierra Leone National Clean Cooking Strategy 2025–2035, and operationalized through the establishment of a Clean Cooking Unit at the Office of the President. But our approach goes deeper; clean cooking is embedded within our broader gender architecture, including the Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment (GEWE) Policy 2020, which calls for systemic reforms to reduce gendered burdens and promote inclusive development” she said.
Apart from equipping women with the tools, training, and financing to drive clean cooking innovation in their communities, the Minister said the aspect of policy integration was key as clean cooking is now part of Sierra Leone’s national gender and protection frameworks, ensuring cross-sectoral accountability.
Dr. Mahoi also disclosed that Sierra Leone was working to eliminate household air pollution, which disproportionately affects children’s health and development and collaborating with innovators, donors, and grassroots organizations to ensure solutions are affordable, scalable, and culturally relevant.
The summit aims to elevate the voices of the 74 million adolescent girls across the region representing 11% of the global adolescent population and to catalyze collective action for the advancement of their rights. It serves as a strategic platform to reinforce commitments and accelerate progress towards the projection, empowerment, and full participation of girls in society contributing meaningfully to the Beijing+30 Platform for Action.
