Dr. Sylvia Olayinka Blyden OOR speaks on Africa Conference on Sexual Health Rights
Thanks to our 🇸🇱First Lady, H.E. Fatima Maada Bio, for working with United Nations and African Union to pull this off for Sierra Leone to successfully host over 900 delegates from around the World under her patronage for the 10th Africa Conference on Sexual Health & Rights. Today, I was privileged to be asked to share an International Panel with delegates from New York, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Liberia and also on which was my Sierra Leone sister Yasmin Jusu Sheriff (yes, na me Salone sister oh🇸🇱🤗).
Our robust discussion on “Access to Justice, Human Rights and Accountability Mechanisms on the African Continent” was quite SUPERB. I got the loudest applause when I told my African sisters from over 40 countries that we have to put political party differences aside when it comes to genuine fights for Women’s & Girls’ Rights.
I cited the example of 🌴SLPP First Lady Fatima and myself as Opposition 🚩APC Strongwoman and how Fatima and myself, have over the past few months, shown that two politically divergent women can actually rise above strong political differences, come together, be together and STAY TOGETHER – so it can be done. The 👏👏👏👏👏 applause for that assertion was EARTH-SHAKING.
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The other photo is of me right at the top of Freetown City Council building which I visited for the first time today as a Guest of Freetown Councilor Abioseh Wilson who was also at the International Conference this morning. Councillor Abioseh took me to visit the FCC Building after the event. Then we had drinks at THE VIEW restaurant located on topmost floor and which is fantastically operated by Gladys and Fatmata, two hardworking Sierra Leone ladies who need to be patronized by us all. I do urge you all to visit THE VIEW as well as the adjoining Hotel these two great ladies are operating. It is well worth it. Let’s support them.
Sylvia Olayinka Walmina Oreshola Blyden is a Sierra Leonean journalist, political commentator, newspaper publisher, and former Sierra Leone minister of Social Welfare, Gender and Children Affairs under erstwhile President Ernest Bai-Koroma from 2016 to 2017. She served as Special Executive Assistant to Sierra Leone’s former president Ernest Bai Koroma from 2013 to 2015
Blyden is the founder, CEO, and publisher of Sierra Leonean newspaper Awerness Times. She is the only female news publisher in Sierra Leone, and “one of the most recognisable names in the country.”[3][4][5] She has spoken of her interest to eventually run for the presidency of Sierra Leone
