By Millicent Sinava Mannah
As Sierra Leone joined the rest of the world on the 11th October, 2022 to celebrate International Day of the Girl Child, one of the most active and supportive Non-Governmental Organizations operating in the country, Caritas-Sierra Leone, on that day, rolled out an awareness raising event through which it empowered over 500 girls on issues bordering on gender-based violence, early marriage, sexual penetration among others on the theme: “Our Time is Now-Our Rights, Our Future’’.
The event took place at the St. Francis School Compound in Newton within the Western Area Rural District.
Speaking during the program, the Program Manager of the Caritas-Justice and Peace Commission, Madam Eliza EOG Sillah, stated that the program was organized is to celebrate girls and the International Day of the Girl Child focusing on the need to address the challenges girls face and to promote their empowerment and fulfillment of their rights.
She furthered that the program was organized in order to engage stakeholders, parents, boys and girls on the importance of keeping the girls safe in Newton Community.
She called on parents to protect girls and keep girls in school. ‘’Our girls should not be forced into early marriages,’’ she said.
She encouraged the girls to befriend their books and study hard in order to pass their exams adding that education is the key to success.
In an interview with a civil society activist, Idris Mansaray, he expressed thanks and appreciation to Caritas for engaging stakeholders and girls on the importance of protecting girls within the Newton Community.
He explained that 10 years ago, the United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution 66/170 to declare October 11as the International Day of the Girl Child to recognize girls’ rights and the unique challenges girls around the world face.
He added that the purpose of the program is to empower the girls through awareness-raising and to amplify their voices to talk about the challenges they face in society.
He cautioned the girls to resist early marriage and to develop the willingness to report early marriage or sexual penetration matters to the police.
“Our girls are golden treasures and they must be protected at all times,’’ he said.
The Line Manager of the Family Support Unit at Newton, Madam Amine M. Kpange expressed the view that some parents cannot take proper care of their children and as a result sometime girls go on the streets to fend for themselves.
She advised parents to protect their girls from sexual predators in society adding that sexual penetration has become the order of the day and that many young girls have suffered in the hands of wicked men, noting that police have charged many sexual penetration matters to court.
The Line Manager admonished the boys not to engage in any sexual activities as the law will take its course.
She reiterated that poverty and illiteracy are some of the causes of early marriage and sexual penetration in many communities noting that there is need for public education about the dangers of early marriage and sexual penetration.
Madam Amine M. Kpange called on community stakeholders to protect and report any early marriage or sexual penetration matter to the police.
The Community Health Officer of Monsignor Daniel Sallion Health Clinic Newton, Madam Manjia Taylor advised girls of the existence of sexually transmitted diseases adding that one can prevent early pregnancy but cannot prevent STI or HIV/AIDS.
“Sex is not for teenagers but for adults,” she admonished.
She called on authorities to encourage their girl child to take treatment for cancer underscoring that cervical cancer is the cancer of the uterus which extends slightly into the top of the Virginia and that it is deadly and difficult to treat.
Madam Manjia Taylor also advised girls to report any health issue to the hospital especially sexually transmitted diseases.
She called on teachers to introduce sex education in the classroom adding that sex education will help girls to know about their body parts, their functions and that parents should be role models for the girls
A student of St Francis Senior Secondary School, Mary Bangura, stated that male teachers should treat girls like their children in order to keep them in school.
She called on her male counterparts to protect the girl child adding that boys should help girls but not to impregnate them going forward to caution parents not to force their children into forced labour but to keep them in school.
Mary cautioned her colleagues not to seduce their male counterparts noting that girls should dress responsibly.
She concluded that girls should to be protected, but it is also their responsibility to report any matter of early marriage or sexual penetration to the Police.
