Sierra Leone women were engaged with the Ministry of Information and Civic Education, in partnership with the United Nations Foundation, at an organized Town Hall meeting aimed at designing a pathway for lasting peace and national cohesion in the country.
Political leaders, Paramount Chiefs, youth groups, religious leaders, and civil society activists, among others, were in attendance at the New Brookfields Hotel.
In conflict situations, women and children are the most vulnerable to violence and abuse. Conversations around peace, therefore, cannot happen successfully without their active participation.
The latest Town Hall showcased brilliance from exceptional women, who proffered solutions to the question of sustainable peace and national cohesion in Sierra Leone.
Sally N. Adams, the National President of Women’s Forum, which is the umbrella body for all registered women’s groups in Sierra Leone, recalled the role of Women in bringing peace to the country during the civil war years. She informed that they were part of many efforts to convince former rebel leader Foday Sankoh to drop his arms and embrace peace. She systematically outlined many steps by and for women that would enhance peace and national cohesion.
In the fight against domestic violence, the Women’s Forum President called on the government to put strict measures in place to discourage violence against women.
Present also was Haja Marie Bob Kandeh representing the Market Women’s Association. Haja Bob Kandeh noted that addressing the economic challenges in the country will go a long way in consolidating peace. She implored citizens and government functionaries to always go by the National Pledge and called on the APC and SLPP to unite in addressing the aspirations of citizens.
Philipa Cride-Dole, President of the Children’s Forum Network, suggested an Inclusive approach to governance to enhance peace in Sierra Leone. She called for the culture of nationalism and patriotism to be inculcated by all and admonished that tribal tendencies be outrightly rejected.
The Children’s President praised the government for passing the Child Marriage Act and encouraged Parliament to look into the Child Rights Act.
Also speaking was Madam Josephine Kamara, the Director of We Are Purposeful, a globally acclaimed Non-Governmental Organization, who described peace as not the absence of war, but a social construct promoting social interaction, ideals, cultural understanding, and political agreements. She underscored that equality and dignity of all are imperative ingredients of peace and must be upheld in society.
She attributed Sierra Leone’s current economic problem to the crisis across the world, particularly instability in the Middle East, the Russia-Ukraine war, etc, and called on politicians to conscientise citizens on the geopolitics responsible for our predicament, rather than using it to score political points.
She pointed out that a better understanding of happenings by citizens will enhance peaceful coexistence.
