Her Excellency
Dr. Fatima
Maada Bio
First Lady of Sierra Leone
From community advocacy in Sierra Leone to the United Nations, Dr. Fatima Maada Bio has worked to protect girls from violence and child marriage and to expand access to education and health care.
- 2025–2027
- Elected to lead OAFLAD
Advocacy in Sierra Leone
Hands Off Our Girls
Dr. Maada Bio helped bring public attention to child marriage and sexual and gender-based violence through the Hands Off Our Girls campaign, launched in December 2018. A march in Freetown brought together First Ladies from across Africa. In February 2019, President Julius Maada Bio declared rape and sexual violence a national emergency. Parliament amended the Sexual Offences Act later that year.
Menstrual health and school access
Through the Free Sanitary Pads Initiative, the First Lady has promoted menstrual health and helped distribute free pads to schoolgirls. The initiative aims to remove a practical barrier to school attendance. The Office has documented distribution visits in Kenema and Kono.
Health care in Freetown
The First Lady advocated for the expansion of 34 Military Hospital. In December 2024, her Office reported that she toured the new 600-bed complex, which it described as including a Centre of Excellence designed to support survivors of sexual and gender-based violence.
Explore the hospital expansion
International leadership
Working with African First Ladies
In 2025, the Organization of African First Ladies for Development (OAFLAD) elected Dr. Maada Bio president for the 2025–2027 term. The organisation’s work covers health, education, prevention of gender-based violence, and women’s economic empowerment.
OAFLAD leadershipChild protection at the United Nations
In 2022, she championed the adoption of the UN World Day for the Prevention of and Healing from Child Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Violence, observed on 18 November. In September 2026, she introduced Sierra Leone’s draft resolution to establish the International Day for the Elimination of Child, Early and Forced Marriage. The General Assembly adopted it and designated 27 November as the annual observance.
UNAIDS and the UN advisory board on waste
UNAIDS named her a champion for the empowerment and engagement of adolescent girls and young women in Sierra Leone in 2023. She has also championed Education Plus and served on the UN Secretary-General’s Advisory Board on Zero Waste.
UN-Habitat board directoryFilm and education
Before becoming First Lady, she worked in African cinema as Fatima Jabbe. She acted in and served as associate producer of the 2011 feature The Mirror Boy. The Office’s published biography records a supporting actress award for the role.
She studied journalism at the London College of Communication, University of the Arts London. In 2026, UCLA listed her among the graduates of its Master of Healthcare Administration programme at the Fielding School of Public Health.
UCLA’s Class of 2026Selected milestones
- 2018
Hands Off Our Girls launches in Sierra Leone.
Campaign background - 2022
Champions the adoption of a UN observance on preventing child sexual exploitation, abuse and violence and supporting healing.
UNAIDS profile - 2023
Named a UNAIDS champion for adolescent girls and young women in Sierra Leone.
UNAIDS profile - 2025
Elected president of OAFLAD for the 2025–2027 term.
Election announcement - 2026
Graduates from UCLA’s Master of Healthcare Administration programme and introduces Sierra Leone’s child marriage observance resolution at the UN.