VP Howard-Taylor addresses the 10th African Confab on Sexual Health and Rights -Says “Enough is Enough”

MONROVIA – Vice President Jewel Howard-Taylor has addressed the ongoing 10th African Conference on Sexual Health and Rights holding from June 29-July 1, 2022 in Freetown, Sierra Leone at the invitation of Dr. Fatima Maada Bio, First lady of the Republic of Sierra Leone, where Mrs. Taylor served as Keynote speaker and Grand Chief Patron of the event.

In her brilliant exposition, the Vice President lamented that “Enough is Enough” and called on her male counterparts to change their mindsets and perceptions; embrace the idea of inclusion and see women as partners. She further argued that women make up about 50% of the population across Africa, and an attempt to exclude women will deny the continent 50% of its human resources and potential.

The Vice President intimated that the actualization of Sexual Health and Rights will require the elimination of the three most critical areas of abuse, namely, Female Genital Mutilation,  Child Marriage and Gender based Violence of both psychological and physical proportions.

Vice President Howard-Taylor proffered that the solutions to the menace of the abuse of sexual health and rights are hinged on the need for strong political will to dismantle the male dominated power hegemony, and the dramatic transformation of mindset which accepts the equality paradigm as the best way forward. She concluded that the stories are horrendous; and the psychological effects on the remaining 50% of the human race should no longer be tolerated by any civilized society.

Madam Vice President shared the platform with Dr. Mohammed Juldeh Jalloh, Vice President of the Republic of Sierra Leone, Dr. Babatunde A. Ahonsi, UN Resident Coordinator in Sierra Leone,  Dr. Uwemedimo Esiet, Co-Founder and Director,  Action Health Incorporated, amongst others.

The 10th African Conference is organized by the Purposeful Organization under the patronage of the Sierra Leonean First lady Dr. Fatima Maada Bio, with the theme: ” Accelerating the Elimination of Sexual and Gender based Violence in Africa “, the conference brought together more than 900 participants from about 41 countries in Africa and across the world to discuss issues of sexual health, human rights,  gender based violence,  and the empowerment of women and youth.

While in Freetown,  VP Taylor will hold discussions with the Sierra Leonean President Julius Maada Bio and his wife and Dr. Fatima Maada Bio, her counterpart Dr. Mohammed Juldeh Jalloh,  Vice President of Sierra Leone,  members of the Parliament of Sierra Leone,  some officials of the Government of Sierra Leone,  the business community,  and Liberian students and organizations based in Sierra Leone.