26/2/2025
On Tuesday, February 25, 2025, Human Capital Development Plus, led by Madam Finda Koroma, in partnership with the Freetown City Council and the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development, concluded a two-day interactive Human Capital Development Regional Dialogue. The event convened key stakeholders, including policymakers, councilors from Freetown and Waterloo, and the Mayor of Freetown, Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr, alongside representatives from MDAs.
With Sierra Leone currently ranking 151st out of 157 countries on the Human Capital Index, and a child born today expected to achieve only 35% of their potential productivity, the dialogue provided a platform to share insights and explore strategies to accelerate progress in human capital development. Key discussion areas included health and health security, nutrition and food security, education, skills development and labor participation, entrepreneurship, financial inclusion and digital transformation, and gender transformation.
Attended by the Minister of Western Area, the Minister of Local Government and Community Affairs, the Minister of Technical and Higher Education, the Deputy Minister of Planning and Economic Development, and the Presidential Adviser on Human Capital Development, the engagement underscored the need for community engagement and local councils in shaping development initiatives as key drivers of sustainable growth.
Participants also discussed mechanisms for strengthening community-led approaches to health and health security, promoting entrepreneurship and digital skills training for youth and women, local solutions to tackling child food poverty and malnutrition through food systems transformation, and advancing community-driven initiatives to support teachers and girls in education.
A key discussion on gender-responsive policy implementation and advocacy across Human Capital Development (HCD) thematic areas featured Minister of Gender and Children’s Affairs Dr. Isata Mahoi, former Member of Parliament Dr. Bernadette Lahai, and Mayor Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr. Mayor Aki-Sawyerr emphasized the critical role of data in driving sustainable development and job creation, aligned with FCC’s goal of creating 120,000 decent jobs for women and youth.
FCC continues to push gender-responsive initiatives, including enhancing digital literacy, providing social safety net opportunities for women, offering leadership training for market women, and supporting women-led water and peace initiatives in Freetown.
