The first ever National Women’s Conference to develop a National Action Plan for the implementation of the recently launched Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment (GEWE) Policy is set to be held on 18th and 19th March, 2021 at the New Brookfields Hotel in Freetown.

The meeting is to be organised by the Ministry of Gender and Children’s Affairs, the 50/50 Group of Sierra Leone and the Women’s Forum.

With the recent adoption and official launch of the Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment (GEWE) Policy, the Ministry of Gender and Children’s Affairs in collaboration with the 50/50 Group of Sierra Leone and the Women’s Forum are hosting a National Women’s Conferenceto develop a roadmap for the implementation of the policy.

This will contribute significantly to Sierra Leone realizing SDG 5, achieving gender equality and empowering women and girls.

Participants will be drawn from across the country representing diverse skills and disciplines for an enriched discussion and an achievable inclusive roadmap.

The Conference has the objective to create a platform where women can collectively discuss ideas and issues affecting them; stimulate debate around the policy action areas in the GEWE Policy; develop a National Action Plan for the full implementation of the inclusive GEWE Policy and to identify entry points for the finalisation of the Affirmative Action Law including the minimum 30 percent quota for women in leadership and decision-making.

A central goal of the conference then is to translate the GEWE into practice and realize its goal of mainstreaming gender into all national, sectoral and local policies, plans, budgets and programmes for the achievement of Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment in all spheres of development in Sierra Leone.

The conference will also provide a space for women and male allies to discuss issues of importance to them, including boosting women’s political participation, one of the GEWE Policy areas.

The GEWE Policy identifies thirteen strategic areas for the incorporation of gender and these include education and training; trade, employment, economic development and social protection; gender-based violence; decision-making and political leadership; health, including sexual and reproductive health and HIV/AIDS; the environment and disaster management; media and access to Information and Communication Technology and Innovations; Disabilities and other forms of social inequities; Legal justice and human rights; Culture and family; Peace-building and conflict resolution; Gender Responsive Macro Sector Formation Budgeting; and Building women’s capacity, leadership and resilience to cope with humanitarian disasters.

Participants will be drawn from across the country representing various disciplines. The official opening will be followed by two days of panel discussions on various issues relating to gender equality and women’s empowerment.

Hon Justice Miatta Samba, Justice of the Supreme Court of Sierra Leone will preside over the official opening of the conference and Madam Finda Koroma, Vice President of ECOWAS will make a Goodwill Message.