When the former US president Barack Obama visited Kenya in 2015, one of his remarks that remained etched into the psyche of his audience was his pearl of wisdom on equality.

“You know, we're in a sports center. Imagine if you have a team and you don't let half of the team play. That's stupid. That makes no sense,” the president quipped.

Gender discussions are mostly among heated topical issues not only in Sierra Leone but the world at large. For discussions like this, it is but imperative to unearth the meaning of Gender which stands as the centrality in this topic, and which also holds bearing to the economic, social, political, and cultural characteristics and opportunities related to both Women and Men. The social definitions of what it actually means to be a woman or a man vary among cultures and is constantly changing as time passes by.

Equality based on gender and female empowerment is a core development objective. This can be considered as a fundamental factor in the realization of human rights and effective and sustainable development outcomes. 

Develop Africa posted a blog article in March, 2016 about three women who were facing very difficult circumstances. The article, “An Uncertain Future for Three Pregnant Girls in West Africa,” inspired the following response.

By Martha Cooper

Imagine three pregnant girls with no job skills who have been abandoned with little hope for the future. They wander aimlessly without food, shelter, or purpose. After their babies are born, how will they each support their newborn baby?

A treasure is growing wild in Ghana—it is the fruit from the shea nut tree. Industrious women produce highly sought-after shea butter by grinding shea nuts (the pit of the shea fruit). Villagers have long been using shea butter to help relieve dry skin, lips, and hair that is caused by the Harmattan (the dry, dusty winds that come to West Africa during the winter months). Local demand for shea butter surges when these winds blow across the Sahara Desert. ^[1]

Sierra Leone, a country in West Africa, faces several challenges. You may have heard of a few of these challenges, like the aftermath of the horrific Ebola epidemic. Maybe you have heard about the children soldiers who wield guns bigger than themselves. But there is another epidemic facing Sierra Leone—the rapid increase in the number of teenage girls who are pregnant and unwed.  
 

Public Relations Officer in the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology yesterday stated that about 50% to 60% of girls that are currently pregnant are those who do not want to be in the school system.

According to Brima Michael Turay, the teenage girls have no business being pregnant if they were serious about staying in school to acquire quality education.

He revealed that the ministry has recorded a total of 3,017 pregnant school girls across the country over the past nine to ten months.

Investing in Girls - Why Supporting Girls in Africa Makes Sense