By: Saidu Jalloh
The Ministry of Gender and Children Affairs in collaboration with development partners has on 25th November 2024, launched the Real Man Campaign and announcing the upcoming event of 16 days of Activism against Gender Based Violence [GBV]. The launch which takes place at the Bintumani Conference Hall draws participants from different walk of life.
The Minster of Gender and Children Affairs, Dr. Isata Mahoi expressed her gratitude to the First Lady of the Republic of Sierra Leone applauding her role in ending violence against women and girls through the Hand off Our Girls Project. She also mentioned other work of the First Lady including the prohibition of child Marriage in Sierra Leone.
Dr. Mahoi also explained that the at the First Women Conference in 1995 at Beijing marked the declaration and adopted as part of the effort to strengthen legislative and policy framework for the promotion of gender equality and women’s empowerment. She opined that the Beijing declaration for action proposed 12 critical areas including violence against women and girls.
Minister Mahoi reiterated that as they approached the 30th anniversary of the Beijing declaration and platform for action, Sierra Leone is joining the rest of world in making start of the sixteen days of activism unite to end violence against women. She noted that they need to unite and galvanize support across all levels and spells, prevent and respond to violence against women and girls.
Dr. Mahoi revealed that in recent months, they had witness sad event that seeks to undermine youth progress they had made over the years and responding to violence activities against women and girls.
She called on all stakeholders to collaboratively and actively responding to violence against women, and that they had made considerable progress and establishing very potential and potent legislation to address GVB including the 2007 GBV Act, 2021 and amended in 2019.
She added that they had established one stop centers in seven districts in addition to Rainbow Initiatives, 116 toll free lines and the establishment of the sexual offense model court in Freetown and Kailahun district.
Dr. Mahoi mentioned that they had adopted the National SGBV response strategy and revised the national referral protocol and introduced the E referral protocol pathway and that collective effort and unity would help to end violence against women. She alluded that launching the Real Man Campaign it is important because most of the violence against women were perpetuated by men, therefore, they could not launch a campaign like this without involving men.
Her Excellency Madam Fatima Bio said she is very much pleased to advance the struggle of women and girls empowerment and gender equality and that the mentioned of the Beijing declaration is very important to her because she had dedicated her life to make sure that women are considered as human beings. She narrated that the Hands off Ours Girls Campaign which prioritizes girls, and in 2018 the state of emergency was declared to fight against rape as well as in 2019, they amended the Sexual Offences Act of 2012.
Madam Fatima Bio vowed that after the full implementation of the Child Marriage Act, she would go against men who continued to married underage girls, and she pleaded to men to give more space to women and that they are asking to take their space but to work with them side by side.
Madam Fatima Bio addressed that Sierra Leone had made a lot of progress and men had shown desire to not only free women from bondage but also to support women to take their rightful place in society.
She commended her husband for involving men in the fight against sexual and gender based violence and that action was informed because most violence against women were perpetuated by men.
The UN Resident Coordinator, Sarafina Wakana said that the event was organized to prevent and eliminate violence against women and girls, and that significant percentage of women and girls experience violence at some point in their lives. She noted that the strides being taken by government to address child marriage, which she considered as a laudable thrive even though it is high and that 30% of girls married before the age of 18 which the ability to GBV.
She also revealed that the campaign calls for men to redefine what meant to be a real man and that they must challenge harmful norms and restore respect and accountability for women. She her total commitment to be part of the initiatives and together they would amplify the message and their commitment includes positive masculinity.