By Foday Moriba Conteh
At the launch of the Bo Centre of Excellence on the 7th December 2020 which was graced by individuals from different walks of life, Her Excellency, Madam Fatima Maada Bio in her keynote address congratulated the Rainbo initiative and other organizations whom she said are religiously working to cushion the burden of SGBV survivors saying such is a step in the right direction especially with regards protecting young women and girls in Sierra Leone.
She called for community ownership of the Centre recalling that when she was growing up her neighbors were all considered to be family members but maintained that sadly the reverse is what is presently happening in the country.
Madam Fatima Bio challenged that if as a nation everyone condemns rape and protects each girl, regardless of whose child it is, then the issue of rape will be a thing of the past.
She emphasized the need for parents to refrain from giving their underage girls into marriage saying that is just a way to legalize sex for men old enough to be their grandfathers, whom, she said, after a year of sleeping with the girls, return them to their parents due to lack of knowledge on domestic chores and family life.
That campaign and fight, the First Lady disclosed will be her next task in 2021 in order to ensure that she lobby for laws that will give 50% equal share of a man’s property, anytime he returns an underage girl a year after she has been his wife.
The First Lady revealed how she is committed to work with the Rainbo Initiative because they are selfless and spend all donor monies for the appropriate reasons maintaining that their impact on society cannot be overemphasized.
On her part, the Deputy European Union (EU) Ambassador, Jamila El Assaidi, delivered an all-encompassing statement.
She expressed her honour for attending the official opening of the Centre of Excellence as they are all gathered in the esteemed presence of her Excellency, the First Lady Fatima Maada Bio.
Ambassador, Jamila revealed how the EU relentlessly aims at a world where the rights of girls and women are claimed, acclaimed and respected.
She noted that there is no excuse for disrespecting the dignity and integrity of women maintaining that as EU, they strongly recommend that the elimination, prevention and protection from all forms of sexual and gender-based violence be prioritized at national level, at district level and at village level.
“Among others, the safety and needs of survivors of sexual and gender based violence must be at the heart of all protective measures adopted. Survivors should have access to specialist support services,” she intimated the audience.
According to the Deputy Ambassador, it is in that context that the EU is supporting Rainbo Initiative and its partners Handicap International and CARE International with a 600,000.00 EUR grant for a period of 30 months.
She continued that the project entitled “Strengthening Gender Based Violence prevention and inclusive response services in Sierra Leone” started in September 2019 and strengthens Rainbo and its partners to prevent and respond to violence against women and girls, including those with disabilities.
“The project supports survivors of violence in five districts of Sierra Leone,” she also added.
The EU Deputy Ambassador disclosed that the opening of the Makeni Rainbo Centre of Excellence was held on 25 November and coincided with the national launch of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender Based Violence in Sierra Leone which based on what she said was a very symbolic and powerful moment.
She informed that the Bo Centre of Excellence which is to be inaugurated is also one of the five Rainbo centres supported by the EU and provides free, quality, age appropriate and inclusive medical and psychosocial care to survivors of rape and sexual assault.
The diplomat stated that the centre is equipped with appropriate disabled-friendly infrastructure, child friendly facilities including a play room and is providing spacious sitting accommodation saying the medical and counselling rooms are conceived to ensure the comfort of both survivors and personnel.
Ambassador Jamila El Assaidi said the Bo centre was established with funding from the European Union, Irish Aid and OSIWA and through the project, Rainbo Initiative contributes to support the national action plan and national advocacy campaigns to combat all forms of gender based violence.
She concluded her statement by calling on all to remember that violence against women exists in every country, culture and community and that the scale of the problem remains concerning.
The Deputy Ambassador maintained that to date, no country in the world is on track to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls by 2030.
She said across the world, the COVID-19 pandemic has made things far worse for those women who are not safe in their home.
“Change is possible but requires action, commitment, determination,” she enjoined further assuring that the EU will work tirelessly with its partners to investigate and punish acts of violence, to ensure support for victims, and at the same time address root causes and reinforce the necessary legal frameworks.
She said the EU on 25 November put forward a new ambitious Gender Action Plan (GAP III) which will apply to all its external actions from 2021 to 2025.
According to her the Action Plan calls for accelerating progress on fighting gender based violence and to address structural causes, including by actively engaging men and boys in challenging gender norms and stereotypes.
“The EU also recently called on its Member States to ratify the Istanbul Convention, the first legally binding instrument at international level to combat violence against women and domestic violence,” she also disclosed anchoring that the goal of the EU is clear: to end all forms of violence against women and girls. We owe it to all the survivors.
