By Foday Moriba Conteh
As part of its continuous efforts towards engaging all sectors of society in relation to the enactment of the Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Bill in the country, the Ministry of Gender and Children’s Affairs, on Thursday 16th December 2021 held a one-day consultative meeting with stakeholders at the Atlantic Lumley Hotel at Aberdeen in Freetown.
Giving her welcome address, the Minister of Gender and Children’s Affairs, Manty Tarawalli revealed that the gender empowerment bill is very inclusive as the entire bill was put together by civil society; women led organizations and other stakeholders.
The Minister disclosed that the Ministry brought together its partners and stakeholders to Parliament for a consultative meeting that was geared towards allowing Parliament to provide constructive feedback on the position papers that she presented to the House of Parliament, stating that the Ministry received 15 position papers from interest groups following its nationwide consultation drive on the Bill.
She maintained that during the meeting Parliament shared the many resolutions reached on the Bill that include:
a change in the Bill’s nomenclature to Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Bill. And: A) the creation of two ‘district interest based seats’ for women candidates to compete at Parliamentary elections.
B) Also included is the following clause: “political parties must take steps to ensure its constituency nomination lists for Parliamentary elections shall include a minimum of 30% female candidates per district.” These two provisions, Parliament believes will give women more than the 30% quota.
She pointed out that they also included in the revision the creation of Gender Units in respective MDAs headed by a Director of Gender and the unit will ensure gender rights are mainstreamed across every sectoral legislation, plan or policy.
Chairperson of the Gender and Children Affairs Committee in Parliament, Hon. Catherine Zainab Tarawallie revealed that as a Committee they have been working in collaboration with the Ministry towards pushing forward the enactment of the bill, adding that she is of the strong conviction that by the end of the fifth Parliament the Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Bill will be enacted into a law.
She expressed appreciation to the Ministry of Gander and Children Affairs and women led organizations, women activists for their tremendously efforts in pushing forward for the enactment of the bill, noting that regardless of the challenges these women continue to give their support towards the process.
Hon. Catherine Zainab Tarawallie maintained that when they received the position papers which were presented to the House of Parliament by the Minister of Gender and Children’s Affairs, Manty Tarawalli they noted that they were concerns by members of the public on the Gender Empowerment Bill furthering how they had to spend time in order to have those relevant inputs in the bill.
On his part, the Clerk of Parliament, Paran Tarawallie, recalled the engagement between the Minister of Gender and Children’s Affairs, Manty Tarawalli and the Parliament of Sierra Leone of which he said the consultative meeting with stakeholders originated from that very engagement between the two institutions.
“If we leave 52 percent of our population behind there is no way Sierra Leone will develop. Sierra Leone became independent in 1961 and this is the 60th year, and for 60 years Sierra Leone has been led by men and for 60 years all what we know is corruption, dysfunctional administration, embezzlement and it has been ugly for 60 years; why not turn to the other part of Sierra Leone, the women?” he asked.
The Clerk of Parliament also revealed that he has engaged the Minister in relation to the enactment of the bill of which he assured all that they will work tirelessly to ensure that His Excellence President Julius Maada Bio on the 8th March 2022, which is commemorated as International Women’s Day, will sign the Gender Empowerment Bill into law.
Statements were followed by a presentation of the draft Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Bill by the Director of Gender at the Ministry of Gender and Children Affairs, Charles Vandi.
The presentation was also followed by a Question and Answer session which gave participants present the opportunity to ask critical questions or proffer recommendations related to the bill. Women in attendance expressed strong desire for more provisions to be included to advance the cause of women. Many women in the audience thought the improvements were steps in the right direction towards the enactment of the Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Bill.
