AYV News, December 2, 2024
The Ministry of Gender and Children’s Affairs in collaboration with the Community of Practice (COP) on Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) has concluded a Multi-Stakeholder Dialogue on Gender Justice and Accountability in Freetown.
The dialogue attracted over 76 participants drawn from various Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies including the Office of the Attorney General and Ministry of Justice, the Human Rights Commission, Amnesty International, Action Aid, the Inter-Religious Council, the Sierra Leone Police, Women’s Forum-Sierra Leone, the 50/50 Group, CSOs and the media.
At the end of the engagement, participants unanimously resolved to continue support to end all forms of violence against women and girls, standup to the protection of women and girls, strengthen the policy and legal environment to protect women and girls, zero tolerance for violence against women and girls, continue advocacy issues affecting women and girls as well as raise-awareness.
Others solidly resolved to review national strategies to end SGBV, advocate for laws to be implemented to end the menace, mobilize women and girls to advocate against all forms of violence, fight for people with disabilities, disseminate the knowledge gained at the engagement and campaign against the forceful initiation of girls below 18 years into the secret female ‘Bondo’ Society as well as early marriage.
Other issues participants highlighted were the absence of a medical doctor in Kambia District that is hell for girls, the one and only pathologist in the country who is overloaded that has the tendency for him to misdiagnose, the absence of a forensic laboratory and safe spaces for victims.
The chairperson of COP, Mr. Samuel Byrne revealed that some of their activities for the past year include formulation of its Action Plan and Terms of Reference, capacity building for staff, outreach programs to schools, institutions, markets, communities, radio and TV programs as well as house-to-house campaigns in various communities.
He went on to reveal that COP also embarked on sensitization campaigns on positive parenting, visited the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution, the Inspector General of Police, the Ministry of Gender and Children’s Affairs, organized several workshops in Bo and other parts of the country on SGBV, FGM and Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights and that plans are underway to scale-up its engagements.
Mr. Byrne also commended Irish Aid for its invaluable support to COP, revealed that COP has now been established in Bo, Bombali, Karene, Koinadugu and Falaba Districts and highlighted some of their challenges as survivors of SGBV finding it difficult to access justice and other services and delay in court cases.
The chairperson of the event, Janet Garber disclosed that COP comprises various organizations, acclaimed Rainbow Center for raising the profile of COP during its tenure as chair, hoped that the fight to end SGBV would continue to the end and observed that COP has been advocating for years to end SGBV.
She further called on stakeholders to ensure that survivors get justice.
The Deputy Inspector General of Police, Aiah Edward Samadia reiterated the police’s zero tolerance stance against SGBV, discrimination, sexual exploitation and harassment against women and girls, affirmed that the topic is essential for all and that the police is playing a proactive role in protecting victims of SGBV.
According to the police chief, they have established a Gender Directorate and Family Support Unit to promote gender justice and accountability in the country, constructed a One Stop Center at the Aberdeen Police Station and collaborating with other MDAs all aimed at supporting victims of SGBV and further revealed that the police has the statistics of perpetrators of SGBV including police officers.
The representative of the Office of the Attorney-General and Ministry of Justice, Ms. Sento Bangura informed that they have drafted and enacted several legislations noting that although the country is making progress, rape is on the increase and cataloged some of the challenges as the absence of a forensic laboratory.
The representative of Irish Aid asserted that the dialogue must continue, observed that COP has grown from national to districts and pledged continued support to the organization until real justice is achieved when there is no more rape in the country.
The head of the Rainbow Center revealed that most the perpetrates are people close or known to the victims, that all must be accountable, that they have supported over 2,000 survivors this year and asked the rhetoric question, “if your daughter, mother, sister or wife is raped?”
Earlier, the Director of Gender, MGCA, Mariam Goodie Sowanie, highlighted the launch of the ‘Real Man’ Campaign by the First Lady on 25th November this year, reiterated that the campaign would not stop until the menace is eradiated and revealed that men would be trained and incorporated in the fight to end the danger citing the Male Involvement Strategy.
The vote of thanks was rendered by a staff of COP. The 10 days of activism against SGBV ends on 10th December this year.
