From escaping child marriage 'to an old pervert' to becoming Sierra Leone's first lady
Fatima Bio, the first lady of Sierra Leone, has a compelling story of escaping child marriage and becoming an influential political figure. She advocates for women's rights and has faced criticism for her outspoken nature and social media presence. Despite controversies, she remains a significant voice for young people in Sierra Leone, particularly in her fight against child marriage.
- ▪Fatima Bio escaped an arranged marriage at 16 and sought asylum in the UK during Sierra Leone's civil war.
- ▪As first lady, she champions a law banning child marriage that will take effect in 2024.
- ▪Bio has been both praised and criticized for her active role in politics and her social media engagement.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
From escaping child marriage 'to an old pervert' to becoming Sierra Leone's first lady41 minutes agoShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleMegha Mohan, Maggie Latham and Alvaro AlvarezBBC World Service, FreetownBBCIt takes Fatima Bio only a moment to respond when we ask what it was like to be an asylum seeker in London."Better than being married to an old pervert," she says deadpan, before laughing - a reference to her father's plans to marry her off as a teenager.A lot has changed since then. In the years that followed, she became an actress, then met a man in London when she was interviewing him about influential Sierra Leoneans in the diaspora and married him.
…
Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at BBC News — World.
Discussion
0 commentsMore from BBC News — World
