United States, 7th September, 2026- Former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has praised Sierra Leone’s First Lady, Dr. Fatima Maada Bio, for her leadership in championing the newly adopted United Nations resolution establishing 27th November as the International Day for the Elimination of Child, Early and Forced Marriage.
Writing on her official Facebook page, Clinton highlighted the devastating impact of child marriage, noting that “every year, 12 million girls are married before their 18th birthdays.” She stressed that the practice robs girls of education, health, and opportunity, while depriving the world of their talents and ideas.
Clinton expressed gratitude to Dr. Bio for spearheading the resolution alongside Cape Verde, Costa Rica, and Morocco, describing the adoption as “an important step in the fight to recognize the right of girls and young women to freely and boldly decide their own futures.”
She also called for greater resources and political will to tackle what she termed one of the most urgent and preventable violations of girls’ rights. Clinton urged global citizens to join the campaign, pointing to the Columbia Institute of Global Politics’ report on Accelerating Efforts to End Child Marriage, which she co-authored earlier this year with Dr. Bio and Sheryl Sandberg.
The resolution, adopted by consensus at the UN General Assembly, provides a new annual platform for governments, civil society, and communities to intensify awareness and action against child marriage. For Sierra Leone, and for Dr. Fatima Maada Bio, the recognition marks both a diplomatic victory and a renewed commitment to safeguarding the futures of millions of girls worldwide.
