The event, which took place at Freetown Terminal Limited, hosted an array of key speakers and guests from multiple sectors to shine a light on the advancement of women and emphasize the utmost importance of ongoing efforts and action to ensure the achievement of gender equality.

The event began with an opening speech underscoring the importance of renewed momentum for equality across all industries, from business to politics and everything in between. The theme emphasized the need for actions in concert to ensure that women everywhere have the opportunity to thrive and lead.

Three guest speakers shared their incredible journeys of overcoming challenges and constraints, finding positions in leadership, and fighting for the rights of women. The speakers had diverse backgrounds with different lenses through which they alluded to the multifaceted nature of how women are building communities and disrupting systems.

Mrs. Fredrica Williams, a fashion business mogul and women’s rights advocate, spoke about her journey from the grassroots to the top of the fashion business.

  “In a world in which women have long been told, ‘No, you can’t,’ I stand here as living proof of what women can do when given opportunity and support,” she said.

Up stepped Mrs. Bintu Jibao, a successful farmer and rural women’s empowerment advocate. As a small-holder farmer, Mrs. Jibao narrated her journey of perseverance and hard work in an industry that is too often invisible. In an impassioned way, she shared how women are key players in rural communities contributing to agriculture, food security, and the economy, yet are neglected in the decision-making process.

“Women in agriculture are the backbone of our economy, but too often they are invisible and undercompensated for their work,” Mrs. Jibao said. “While my journey has not been an easy one, I have learned the value and the need of standing for women in farming. We must accelerate actions to deliver tangible improvements in women’s access to land, resources, and training in agriculture. When women on farms are empowered to lead, they uplift communities and foster economic growth.”

Mrs. Hannah Egunade spoke about how culinary arts was her way of breaking barriers and empowering women. She was saying how her love for food, which started as a simple love for cooking, is now also a business development, job creation, and community-building force.