By Edward Vamboi
As a way of raising awareness on Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV), the Girls Advocacy Development Network (GADN), a non-profitable and Non-Governmental Organization that advocates against Gender Based Violence, with support from UNAIDS and the Rainbo Initiative, on the 18th May, 2021 convened a two day training workshop for in and out of school teenage boys, an event which was held at the Africell American Corner in Freetown targeting pupils from six Secondary Schools in Freetown. The focus of the workshop was on how to combat Gender Based Violence.
The main thrust of the workshop was to deliberate on issues relating to the Sexual Offences Amendment Act of 2019 and to come up with strategies as to how to drastically reduce the rate of Gender Base Violence that is especially perpetrated against girls in society.
Hannah Kargbo, the Chief Executive Officer and Founder of the Girls Advocacy Network intimated journalists that there is plan afoot that Government will organize a Social Legal Empowerment Training Workshop to bring boys in schools and at the community level to raise awareness on the 2019 Sexual Offences Amendment Act.
She also disclosed that the proposed training workshop will last for days in order to engage boys and raise awareness on Gender Based Violence (GBV), the Sexual Amendment Act as well as Sexual Reproductive Health.
Hannah Kargbo underscored that Gender Based Violence is a global phenomenon further stating that most of the perpetrators or people who are involved in inflicting violence against girls in society are men and boys, adding that according to statistics the data base shows that men are more involved in perpetrating such acts of violence.
She said, as an institution, they thought it fit to promote male engagement seeing the need to engage boys in society as a step taken that is geared towards eradicating or minimizing Gender Based Violence especially against the Girl Child.
According to the representative from UNAIDS ,Semion Saffa Turay, who happens to be the Strategic Information Adviser of that institution, disclosed that the workshop on Gender Based Violence (GBV) is very important expressing the view that he is of the firm conviction that at the end of the two day workshop most of the beneficiaries would have learnt a lot and later on serve as trainers in their schools and communities .
He maintained that the country is making progress in the direction of combating GBV and mostly to ensure that girls and women are treated humanely, with respect and dignity saying otherwise they will be at a disadvantageous position.
Semion furthered that they are getting positive feedbacks about the Government’s efforts in the direction of fighting SGBV. He dilated on some of the harmful effects emanating from SGV on the victims such as stigmatization, contracting venereal diseases, saying those are public health concerns appealing to put shoulders to the wheel in order to kick out the societal menace.
He ended up by expressing gratitude to the Girls Advocacy Development Network for coming up with the initiative to engage the participants and Africell for providing the venue for the training workshop.
According to the Senior Communications Officer of Rainbo Initiative, Bob Lamin, 90% of Gender Based Violence cases are perpetrated by boys and men. He added that if we want to put a stop to it then we must use different approaches.
Bob revealed that they have branches in Freetown, Bo, Makeni, Kenema and Kono adding that the Rainbo Center is where anyone who has suffered sexual violence could be diagnosed for free.
He said according to a survey that was done in 2020 the SGBV survivors that went to the Centers were up to Three Thousand Five Hundred and Forty Eight out of which there were twenty six men who were sexually molested and abused.
He concluded by encouraging participants to help combat GBV in their various communities by reporting such crimes and spreading awareness.
