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Women’s Forum for Human Rights And Democracy (WOFHRAD) funded by Trócaire, called together an engagement for Civil Society Organisations and Media practitioners in Bombali on Thursday, 31st August 2023 at the SLTU Hall in Makeni in a bid to increase women’s participation in decision-making spaces.
While speaking, Kemoh Mansaray, Chief Project Officer of WOFHRAD, talked about the essence of bringing both civil society organizations and members of the fourth estate, which he said is to develop advocacy strategies for the review of some laws in the country that have been serving as bottle-necks to women in occupying decision-making spaces.
Mansaray further admitted that a key focus is for the repeal of Section VIII of the 2009 Chieftaincy Act, which only gave provision for women to become Paramount Chiefs according to the customs and traditions of a particular locality, therefore it needs a review because it is not gender-friendly.
“We are calling for a repeal of this said section because it is limiting women in the North and North West from becoming Paramount Chiefs, while in the South and Eastern part of Sierra Leone women are occupying chieftaincy positions, so it is high time we repeal Section VIII so that we can have women in all spheres of leadership positions as we are living in the same country”.
Mansaray also noted that it will not be an easy journey, yet, they are optimistic that they can achieve the course, adding that people should be willing to accept new laws that will create impacts for a better Sierra Leone, because, women can do great things when they are given the platform to occupy decision-making spaces.
Florence B. Sesay, the Project Coordinator for the Centre for Democracy And Human Rights (CDHR), described the engagement as very important, especially when it brings them together as CSOs to share ideas and highlight strategies on how best they can engage stakeholders and the community people to promote inclusivity and see the need for women to be active in governance.
Momoh Lawrence Turay, a Project Manager of the Sierra Leone Network on Rights to Food (SiLNoRF), also asserted that it is timely for Civil Society Organisations to champion this campaign “We want to call on stakeholders to join us in this campaign for the repeal of Section VIII of the Act, because, certain provisions were left out and those provisions are barriers to women in the North and North West, but women in the South and the East are benefiting from the same 2009 Act that’s why as CSOs in Bombali we are here today to start discussions in the bid to achieve this course for a better Sierra Leone,” Turay remarked.
The engagement climaxed with the adoption of the proffering strategies mapped out during the group session to amplify the advocacy for the repeal of Section VIII of the 2009 Chieftaincy Act.
