As Sierra Leone welcomes global leaders to the Strengthening Families Conference—a platform prominently backed by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church)—we recognize that our nation once again steps into the international spotlight. With that visibility comes both opportunity and responsibility.

Sierra Leone has made bold and commendable progress in advancing the rights of women, girls, and families. From the passage of the Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Act, to the Prohibition Against Child Marriage Act, the Radical Inclusion Policy, and the Safe Motherhood and Reproductive Health Care Bill—which has received unanimous Cabinet approval twice—these milestones reflect the vision and commitment of His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio and Her Excellency First Lady Fatima Maada Bio. Their leadership has placed the dignity, safety, and education of girls at the heart of national development.

We celebrate these hard-won achievements. But we also know that progress must be protected—and not all agendas that speak of “family values” truly honor the rights and wellbeing of women and children.

The conference promises to focus on empowerment, education, and protection for women and children. The inclusion of First Lady Fatima Maada Bio as a keynote speaker is a powerful recognition of her international leadership and her unwavering voice in support of girls and mothers. However, we express serious concern over the version of “family values” being promoted at this gathering. While the language used may speak of empowerment, the backing of the LDS Church raises deep concerns about an ideology that, in practice, has often worked to curtail the rights of girls and women—particularly their autonomy, safety, and access to accurate information.

As advocates committed to evidence-based change, we are guided by data and the lived experiences of women across the continent. Our recent publication, “Until Everybody is Free,” outlines the consequences of similar LDS Church-affiliated conferences held in Ghana, Nigeria, and Côte d’Ivoire. In those countries, we have seen progressive educational efforts undermined, access to vital health information restricted, and movements toward gender equity set back. Policies promoted under the banner of “family protection” have, instead, pushed already marginalized communities into silence and shame.

Women’s rights activists in Nigeria have been unambiguous in their warnings:

“It may seem like just another church event. But behind the nice sounding songs and smiling faces lies a movement designed to erase the hard-won rights of Sierra Leone’s women and children.”

With that in mind, we respectfully put forward the following questions for the LDS Church:

-   Do you support keeping pregnant girls in school?


• Do you believe a woman should remain in an abusive marriage for the sake of “family unity”?


• Do you oppose child marriage in all its forms?


• Do you condemn Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)?


• Do you support women’s right to make informed decisions about their reproductive health?


• Do you advocate for age-appropriate, comprehensive sexuality education for children and adolescents?


• Do you support a woman’s right to safe and legal abortion, especially when her life or wellbeing is at risk?

We ask these questions not to provoke, but to seek clarity. Because the experiences of our sisters in neighboring countries have taught us that not all conferences are what they claim to be—and not all “family values” are rooted in freedom, dignity, or choice.

We believe Sierra Leone’s families are strongest when every girl is free and every woman is safe. True family strength comes from access to education, protection from violence, bodily autonomy, and the right to make personal decisions about one’s health and future. It is not possible to selectively support these rights. They are deeply interwoven.

To the LDS Church, we say: be transparent. If your commitment is genuinely to empower families, then affirm openly your support for the full rights of girls and women in Sierra Leone.

We welcome dialogue. But we will also stand firm in defending the freedoms our people have fought so hard to achieve.

With hope and vigilance,


Purposeful

 

  https://thecalabashnewspaper.com/an-open-letter-to-the-organizers-of-the-strengthening-families-conference/