Sierra Leone has a chance to protect women and girls. We must not allow US influence to stop us | Dr Ramatu Bangura

Religious extremists from the US are bolstering local opposition by pouring money and messaging into the country under the guise of supporting family values'

Sierra Leone is on the precipice of making history in its parliament this week. A new bill being debated would see a deadly centuries-old British colonial law abolished and monumental strides made to protect the safety of women and girls.

For a country where sky-high maternal deaths are a national emergency, the safe motherhood and reproductive health care bill is a lifeline. The new legislation would decriminalise abortion and provide that any girl or woman, regardless of economic status, can seek the reproductive care needed from a qualified medical professional - whether that involves the decision to conceive, to access contraception or to make the difficult decision to terminate a pregnancy.