By Millicent Senava Mannah
The Campaign for Good Governance, in collaboration with the Sierra Leone Association of Women in Journalism (SLAWIJ) in collaboration has on 29th November 2021, at the Radisson Blu Hotel at Aberdeen in Freetown, launched the yellow ribbon campaign, one that is geared towards the empowerment of women, especially by popularizing the Gender Empowerment Bill.
Chairperson of the occasion, Millicent Kargbo, in her statement intimated that the Yellow Ribbon Campaign is a symbol of hope and solidarity, further revealing how it had been launched in many countries for various campaigns.
Millicent continued that though they have not fully achieved what majority are yearning for as a nation, however, many strides have been made, among which she highlighted the huge awareness among their populace of the rights for women and their immense contributions to society.
She added that the launch of the yellow ribbon campaign by the Campaign for Good Governance, Trocaire and their partners is a way of extending solidarity to the campaign for the empowerment of women, especially around the Gender Empowerment Bill 2021 which she referred to as the most topical issue now.
Giving an overview of the launch, the Programme Manager of CGG , Sahr Kendema said the launch is nothing new but rather a continuation of the advocacy work on the Gender Empowerment Bill that is currently before Parliament.
“With the support of the media and women groups it is important for the simple fact that if the bill is enacted it will do this country a great deal of good and this is in line with the SDGs goals. We have only 18 women in Parliament out of 146 and that must change,’’ he stated.
President of the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ), Ahmed Sahid Nasralla, assured them that SLAJ is strongly in support of the bill and he will continue to endorse it until it is enacted by Parliament.
He encouraged other men to be in support of the Gender Empowerment Bill so that women will become eligible to have access to loans from banks in order to be financially empowered.
The representative of Trocaire, Soudi Austina Sellu, showed appreciation to the women for supporting the enactment of the Bill. She continued by calling on everyone to support it while assuring of Trocaire’s continued support towards the enactment of the bill.
On her part, Hon. Catherine Tarawally in her statement commended the women of Sierra Leone for supporting the bill.
She maintained that the women of Sierra Leone stand at 52 percent of the population but lamented that the 48 percent are so powerful that they continue to push women to the lowest ebb.
“We are here to affirm that the bill will be passed in Parliament. Yellow is bright and yellow is unique and the more reason we should yellow the campaign for the enactment of the bill into a law. We are small in Parliament but we are powerful,’’ she said
She added that they must use the yellow ribbon campaign to change the dynamics in Parliament further admonishing that it must be used for the betterment of the women in Sierra Leone.
