Isha SY Sumah. Photo: UN Women / Mohamed Kargbo
Isha S.Y. Sumah, a 20-year-old university student, has always had a strong desire to make a difference in her community. Growing up in a society where gender inequality and violence against women and girls were rampant, she witnessed firsthand the suffering of women abused by their husbands, often with no consequences for the perpetrators. These experiences fueled her determination to fight for a society free from Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV), where both men and women can enjoy equal rights.
For years, discussions around gender equality in Sierra Leone had been stagnant, with little progress made toward passing crucial legislation. However, thanks to the combined efforts of UN Women and other partners, the Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment (GEWE) Act was finally enacted in 2022. This landmark legislation marked a turning point in the country’s journey toward gender equality, providing women with greater opportunities for leadership. The results were clear: women’s representation in Parliament doubled from 14.5% in 2018 to 30.4% in 2023, and female local counselors increased from 18.7% to 34%.
Isha describes this moment as pivotal in her advocacy journey. “There is never a better moment for me than this,” she said. With the GEWE Act now in place, she is more eager than ever to advocate for women’s and girls’ human rights in Sierra Leone. This is why she seized the opportunity to participate in a five-day training organized by UN Women in June 2024, focusing on critical issues such as Sexual and Gender-Based Violence referrals, gender entrepreneurship leadership, and sensitization on the GEWE Act.
Before this training, Isha acknowledged having little knowledge about the GEWE Act or how to address SGBV effectively. “I have never benefited from such a transformative and life-changing experience before” she reflects. The interactive sessions were a true eye-opener, according to Isha, who now feels more aware of the harsh realities many young people face daily, especially those who fall victim to SGBV. She feels more knowledgeable about the legal framework surrounding the GEWE Act and better equipped to advocate effectively for gender equality. “Now, I know how to better support survivors of sexual and gender-based violence,” she testifies.
Empowered by this newly acquired knowledge, Isha is determined to share what she has learned with her peers and other community members. Together, they can contribute to breaking the silence and raising awareness about the GEWE Act, SGBV, and the importance of women’s and girls’ empowerment in Sierra Leone.
Despite the challenges ahead, Isha remains strong in her activism. She aspires to one day open a safe home for SGBV survivors, providing them with refuge and holistic support, empowering them to regain their lives and participate as active community members.
With the help of UN Women, Isha is just one of many young men and women now leading the gender equality movement in Sierra Leone, ensuring that the future is brighter and provides equal opportunities for all.
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Hawa Yokie spoke as a youth panellist at an event during the 67th session of the Commission on the Status of Women at the UN Headquarters in New York. Photo: UN Women/Catianne Tijerina
We live in a rapidly digitizing world, with over 67 per cent of the global population using the internet as of this year. Digital technologies and data have a critical role in fulfilling the Sustainable Development Goals – the global blueprint for people and the planet – and as “digital natives”, young people are at the forefront of adopting and innovating with new technologies. Worldwide, 79 per cent of people aged between 15 and 24 use the internet, significantly more than the rest of the population (65 per cent, as of 2023.)
On International Youth Day (12 August), marked under the theme, "From Clicks to Progress: Youth Digital Pathways for Sustainable Development", UN Women spoke to Hawa Yokie, member of the UN Women Generation Equity Youth Task Force and the co-founder and CEO of the Kamara Yokie Innovation Center in Sierra Leone. The first of its kind in Sierra Leone, the Innovation Center offers a safe, multicultural space for young people to learn digital technologies.
From youth-led community development to innovation and technology
Hawa Yokie was always curious about how things worked. Although her family wanted her to study law, she was interested in science and technology. She sneaked into the computer lab in school and taught herself computer skills.
“I've always wanted to see how I can create change and make an impact in my community,” said 24-year old Yokie from her home town, Kenema.
As part of a community development service group that visited rural communities in Sierra Leone and talked to young people about issues that affected them, Yokie had first-hand information about what young people needed.
Soon after completing high school, during one of her visits to a village near Kenema, she discovered that most of the girls had dropped out of school and were pregnant or had already given birth. One of the challenges that the girls highlighted to Yokie was the lack of electricity to study.
“In rural communities where there is no access to electricity, girls get limited time to study at night [because they have to do household chores during the day], leading to low performance in school and ultimately dropping out of school,” she explained.
Thus started Yokie's innovation journey. She started researching and teaching herself about renewal energy. With the help of a mentor, she learned about solar energy and created a new technology – SolWind – which combined solar and wind energy to generate electricity for the community.
“We were able to power 50 houses there,” shared Yokie.
A centre for learning digital technology and innovation
When Yokie went to the university in Freetown, Sierra Leone’s capital, she realized that many young people didn’t know how to use a computer. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she saw her peers struggle to adapt to online classes.
Witnessing their challenge, Yokie started computer literacy classes for students in the university, and from there, she moved on to teaching and inspiring younger children.
“So we went to schools and started teaching kids computer literacy, coding and programming,” said Yokie. Recognizing the importance of inspiring young minds, Yokie and her friends launched a campaign in 2021 – STEM for Us by Us. The campaign connected people working in STEM fields with young people interested in STEM careers.
In 2023, together with her friend Abu Kamara, Yokie launched the Kamara Yokie Innovation Center – a first-ever in Sierra Leone – a safe space by and for young people to learn digital technologies.
“By then, we had already established 15 STEM clubs [through the STEM for Us campaign] and had impacted over 5,000 young students across Sierra Leone,” said Yokie.
The Kamara Yokie Innovation Center works directly with schools and communities and teaches an array of skills – from digital literacy to computer programming, robotics, electronics, 3D design, and drone technology.
The Center then encourages the students to innovate and problem-solve. “We have had students who learned drone technology and are using it to map out safety issues during the rainy season [when it floods], and show environmental degradation and sanitation issues. And, we have had students who used hydroponics for agriculture,” said Yokie.
The organization also helps students get funding to implement the solutions in their schools and communities.
How digital tools enhance learning for youth
“What we do at the Center, the digital tools that we have, have really impacted these kids,” said Yokie. “They have helped them use their imagination and learn in an easy and fun way.” She claims that the children who come to the Center perform exceptionally well in school.
When asked what digital skills are especially relevant for young people in the country, Yokie said computer skills and digital literacy were a priority for young people in Sierra Leone, along with coding and programming skills, 3-D design and robotics.
For Yokie, the future is digital, and she wants young people in Sierra Leone prepared to seize the opportunities.
Gender stereotypes and the importance of mentorship for girls in technology
“I couldn’t study science. What if my parents had allowed me to pursue science, where would I have been today,” wonders Yokie.
The prevalent gender norms and stereotypes limited Yokie’s education choices as a young girl. Her parents wanted her to study law, instead of science.
“When we were doing the solar installation, we had to climb up the roof. Someone told me: ‘You should not climb on top of a roof to do installation. That's a man's job’.”
Yokie and thousands of girls and young women around the world are battling such stereotypes every day. And for them, mentorship matters.
“There are only a few women in tech in Sierra Leone that I know of,” said Yokie. “Mentorship is really important, and to have mentors believe in what you're doing and supporting you… it really changed my life.”
With 70 per cent of their programmes focusing on girls, the Kamara Yokie Innovation Center aims to improve access to digital learning for girls and also offers them mentorship.
“One of the biggest challenges that I face is access to funding,” said Yokie. “It’s hard [to find] funding for women-led organizations.”
African youth-led solutions to problems
Hawa Yokie dreams big. She wants to create even more impact.
“Since 2021 to now, we have been able to impact about 7,000 young students. We want to increase that number. But we also want to reach students and communities across Sierra Leone and even outside of Sierra Leone.”
Her dream is for the Innovation Center to become a solution hub where African youth can design and innovate unique solutions for the problems that communities across Africa are facing.
“For Africa, it's good if we innovate in our culture, create technologies that work for us instead of copying what other countries is doing.”
Message for the International Youth Day
“Technology is here to stay. We need to use technology as a tool to create impact and reach places so that our voices are heard. We need to use tech for good.”
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Summary of country programme
UN Women’s Sierra Leone Strategic Note 2018–2025 acts on gender inequality and women’s empowerment, especially by focusing on regions most affected by poverty, gender-based violence and climate change impacts.
The programme prioritizes economic empowerment, ending violence against women and girls and women's increased political representation. Approaches include establishing gender units in ministries, supporting women's networks, and integrating gender into climate change and disaster response strategies.
Major partners comprise the Ministry of Gender and Children's Affairs, UN entities and local civil society organizations. Strategic Note direct funding supports initiatives such as one-stop centres for survivors of gender-based violence, enhancing programme impact.