Chernoh Bah has been one of the most inspirational leaders of his generation. A former refugee from Sierra Leone’s civil war, Chernor, at age 15, founded the Children’s Forum Network, which called for inclusion of children’s voices in post-war peace and reconciliation. Later, as a Special Youth Fellow at the UN, he pushed to include youth voices in the landmark Graca Machel Review Study on the Impact of Armed Conflict on Children and headed UNFPA’s first post-war youth program in Liberia.

A Youth Representative to the UN’s Global Education First Initiative, Chernor was instrumental in the “IamMalala” campaign, and chaired the Youth Takeover of the UN featuring Malala’s historic speech. Working with former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, he co-founded A World at School, a campaign for global education.

Based now in Sierra Leone, Chernor is a frequent speaker and advisor at high-level platforms such as the United Nations, The European Union, The World Bank, and universities around the world. He is a widely recognized advocate for decolonising aid, education, girls’ empowerment, and youth development.

Chernor Bah was appointed by President Julius Maada Bio as the Minister of Information and Civic Education, in July 2023. Since then he has increased trust in government and broadened the civic space for public intrest conversations.