December 6, 2021
By Aruna Kamara
Women in Pujehun have demanded for the protection and respect of their rights by the multinational companies including Socfin Agriculture Company operating in Pujehun District as enshrined in the United Nations Guiding Principle on Business and Human Rights.
Speaking at a community Gender Forum on UN Guiding Principle on Business and Human Rights and Gender related laws held at Growth Center in Pujehun on Friday 3rd December, the women said that there is abuse and violation of their rights by the multinational companies in the district and the women suffer hugely from the violations.
Jenneh Tucker one of the participants said a lot of injustices are meted out on them including violation of the labor laws, land grabbing and their livelihood is largely affected by the operation of the multinational cooperation.
They claimed that maternity and paternity leave is not adequately observed by the companies and the UN Guiding Principles clearly speak to the fact that these business enterprises must protect and respect their rights.
Joseph Koroma said that the stakeholders including their brothers and sisters are conniving with the multinational companies to cheat them, and their livelihood is affected
Amie Kemokai said that some of their loved ones who became incapacitated or are illegally sacked by the multinational cooperation find it difficult to get their salaries or benefit, adding that a lot of them have died without having what due them.
She claimed that Women get up early morning and when some of them who could not wake up early in the morning encounter problem and later loss their lives and nothing is done by the multinational companies in Pujehun District.
“Debate on the Land Rights bill in parliament should speed up in order to stop land grabbing so that the land holding families will benefit from their land. We want labor laws to be revisited to benefit the women,” She said.
Madam Kemokai pleaded with President Bio to intervene in addressing the long standing disputes in the Pujehun District relating to the operation of business enterprises including Socfin Agriculture Company.
Alhaji Abdulai J Kamara said that it is good that the rights of the people should be protected as they have heard a lot about other multinational companies coming into the district.
“We are happy that we have also been sensitive on Sexual and Gender Base Violence which is affecting women in the district and making the children not to “do well in also Public examinations. The education on Sexual offences Act has also empowered us to stand up against sexual abuses against girls and women in the district”, he said.
The Director of Foundation of Human Right and Democracy ,Jarai Barrie, said that they received funding from UNDP in order to popularize the UNDP Guiding Principle on Business and Human Right so that they will be empowered to protect their rights and to also have a say in the development of their district.
Madam Barrie said that the views of the people during the engagement will be taken to the stakeholders, multinational companies and the government in order to address the concerns of the people affected by the operation of the multinational companies.
Madam Barrie noted that the people should understand the gender laws including the sexual offence Act 2019 as reports have indicated that Pujehun District is on record for high sexual and Gender Base Violence.
He said that people should know how SGBV relates to Business and human rights as there are business enterprises which are multinational companies operating in the district.
The lead facilitator, Taimiew Fofanah said that the rebel war came as a result of the abuse and violation of the right of the people and to avoid the repetition of the war, the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights must be respected.
He said that there are 31 UN Guiding Principle with three strategic pillars including obligation of protection of the rights by government or state, the respect of rights by the multinational companies including Socfin Agriculture Companies, and the Government should provide remedies to the abuse and violations of human rights.
Mr. Fofanah said there must be policies, and legislations to ensure that there is protection and respect of the rights of the people, adding that there must be ethical consideration of Socfin Agricultural Company and other multinational cooperation to measure up their cooperate social responsibility.
He said that Pujehun District is on record for high sexual penetration cases and other sexual abuses and that it is good that the knowledge they have received on the Gender laws will help to stop sexual abuses in the district.