The Ministry of Gender and Children’s Affairs (MGCA), in collaboration with the Office of the First Lady and partners, on Tuesday 5th December 2023 embarked on sensitization on the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Based-Violence (GBV) with the theme ‘Unite! Invest to Prevent Violence Against Women and Girls in the Kanikay community, Cline Town and the Methodist Boys High School, Kissy Mess Mess, East of Freetown respectively.
The 16 Days of Activism Against GBV was launched by the First Lady of Sierra Leone, Madam Fatima Maada Bio, on 25th November 2023, at the Freetown City Council Hall.
The 16 Days of Activism Against GBV, according to the Director of Gender Affairs in the Ministry of Gender and Children’s Affairs, Madam Goodie Marian Sowonie, is an annual event observed globally, as a way of raising awareness in communities on issues of GBV and their human rights, as many have experienced them and do not have the awareness that they are crimes.
She added that violence can be perpetrated in many forms, which can be physical or emotional such as rape, sexual penetration, wife beating, bullying, racial discrimination committed against women, men, girls, boys, persons with disabilities, the aged and many others.
“As parents, we should be talking to our children and observing their menstrual circles, to know when something happens to them,” she admonished.
Madam Goodie Marian Sowonie also encouraged people to speak up and report issues of violence and harassment that are happening in their homes, communities, schools, places of work and anywhere they experience such violations, and further urged them to be hardworking and stop being liabilities, but start empowering themselves in businesses, careers and other ways that they can be of help to themselves, their homes and families, as well as their communities.
In his address, the Deputy Director of Gender Affairs, Mr Bami J. Sesay, disclosed that GBV in any form should not be compromised in communities, homes and societies, underscoring that as a way of reducing the challenges victims undergo in reporting GBV cases and accessing medical service, the Ministry and partners have established a One Stop Centre at the King Harman Road Government Hospital, where people can report GBV abuses, access counselling, medical service and the police, who will investigate their cases speedily, revealing that they have also created an emergency hotline number 116 for people to easily call and report issues of violence in their communities, so as not to compromise them.
“The activism and sensitization is to bring awareness about the laws protecting women and girls from sexual offences, child abuse and human trafficking in Sierra Leone, to live in a peaceful society that is free from violence,” he explained.
Responding, the Chief of Kanikay, Cline Town community, Pa Alimamy An Sar II, appreciated the team for choosing his community to send such impacting messages, which, he assured the team, would be adhered to and widely disseminated to other members of the community and that they would not compromise GBV cases by reporting them to the Ministry of Gender and the Police Family Support Unit.
The Acting Principal of the Methodist Boys’ High School, Mr Moses Conteh, commended the team for enlightening his pupils on issues of GBV, which he underscored are crimes punishable by law and that GBV activities destroy society.
The 16 Days of Activism ended on 10th December 2023.
