Sierra Leone president signs women’s rights bill into law

By CLARICE ROY-MACAULAY
Associated Press

FREETOWN, Sierra Leone (AP) — Sierra Leone’s president has signed into law legislation that mandates women make up 30% of the country’s workforce. The new laws that took effect Friday also expand paid maternity leave to 14 weeks and ensure women equal access to financial credit. President Julius Maada Bio declared “the future of Sierra Leone is female” at the signing. But some of the provisions only apply to companies in the private sector that employ 25 or more people. Bio and his wife have focused heavily on gender issues since he took office in 2018. They launched the “Hands Off Our Girls” campaign in an effort to stop child marriage.