President Julius Maada Bio has called for greater participation of women and young people in peace negotiations, insisting they must have a meaningful influence on decisions rather than simply being invited to attend discussions.
Speaking at the inaugural Geneva Peace Forum on Monday, October 12, 2026, Bio said inclusive participation was essential to building lasting peace and ensuring that agreements reflect the needs of affected communities.
“Women and young people must not simply be invited to the peace table. They must shape what it decides,” he said.
The Sierra Leonean leader identified inclusion as one of three key priorities for preventing conflict, alongside early action and maintaining open channels of dialogue.
He argued that peace processes must give women and young people a genuine voice in determining their countries’ futures, rather than treating them as observers or beneficiaries of decisions made by political leaders.
Bio also called for developing countries to have a fairer say in decisions affecting their own security, stressing that peace is more sustainable when those who must live with its consequences have a meaningful role in shaping it.
Citing Sierra Leone’s experience, the President highlighted the Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Act of 2022, which establishes a minimum 30 per cent representation requirement for women in specified public and private institutions and leadership positions.
He said the legislation reflected the country’s commitment to expanding women’s participation in public life and decision-making.
Bio further warned that denying young people a voice in present-day decisions undermines their contribution to peace and development.
“We cannot keep calling young people the leaders of tomorrow by denying them a voice today,” he said.
The President urged governments and international partners to address exclusion and inequality, invest in opportunities for young people and strengthen institutions as part of broader efforts to prevent conflict.
He said lasting peace would require leaders to move beyond declarations and translate their commitments into practical measures that give women and young people greater influence over peacebuilding and governance.