The proposed network is very ambitious and will see between 1,500 to 2,000 Women’s groups be formed across all rural communities of Sierra Leone. The expected outcome before the end of the year, will be for rural women to increase networking amongst themselves and in the process, take popularizing of current gender laws, marriage laws, child rights laws and other legal policies, down to knowledge of rural women in village settings.
Hon. Blyden in her remarks today said the proposed decentralisation of advocacy efforts in Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment (GE-WE) is going to be the start of the game changer that Sierra Leone women have been waiting for.
“We have spent over 20 years taking an elitist approach towards GE-WE” Hon. Blyden asserts adding, “Now the Ministry is taking a different approach. This time, we are moving away from Elites in urban settings and the Rural Women are going to drive the GE-WE revolution”.
She said the gender revolution is going to start from the grassroots and move upwards building velocity as it drives upwards.
“Nothing is going to stop the speed of change when grassroots Rural Women become advocates of the change we all desire in GE-WE” she opines.
Many already say the acronym of GE-WE is itself a message.
The phrase “Gee We” in our local language simply means Give Us so Rural Women are asking for Sierra Leone elite women to change tactics for empowerment and now give the Rural Women the mantle to create the much needed revolution.
Meanwhile, Hon. Minister Dr. Sylvia Olayinka Blyden has today also confirmed concluding negotiations that will hopefully soon see the whopping sum of TWO BILLION LEONES be sent to Sierra Leone by International Donors for Rural Women of the Eastern Kailahun district’s Kissi Teng chiefdom and environs; the money is for them to engage in accessing Business Incubation for agricultural products. On expected arrival, the Donor Funds from Europe, will be applied solely towards a Project for Kissi women in that part of Kailahun District. It can be recalled that Kissi Teng is where Ebola broke out in Sierra Leone. It is also the place which had earlier suffered the worse brunt of the RUF civil war as it was the very last part of Sierra Leone that underwent disarmament. Rural Women of that part of Sierra Leone are heavily impoverished and suffer some of the worst possible development indices. The Kissi Rural Women project which should kick off shortly, is for 12 months and it is expected to bring about significant changes in the lives of Kissi Teng’s rural women.
MODERN TECHNOLOGY:
In Kissi Teng and across all rural communities of Sierra Leone, the Cabinet Minister believes that through the use of simple but modern information technology, a spark can be lit across Sierra Leone from right within rural villages, that will then arouse women across the board, to rise up to the important task of empowerment and equality.
The ministry says for one to be a part of the Rural Women Network, just send an email to slruralwomen@gmail.com and details will be sent to you.
Accompanying photo shows Minister Blyden posing with Mama Samura, a strong female community leader from North Western axis of Sierra Leone.
SALONE RURAL WOMEN SAY:
GEE WE FOR EMPOWER WE.
GE-WE! Gee We!
GE-WE!! Gee We!!
GE-WE!!! Gee We!!!
