By Mary Kabay
The Ministry of Gender and Children Affairs in collaboration with the Sierra Leone Association of Women in Journalism (SLAWIJ) on the 23rd September, 2021 conducted a training programme for 30 female journalists and media influencers at the GGEM Hall on 57 John Street in Freetown on the topic: “Understanding the Gender Empowerment Bill 2021”.
Head of Programs of SLAWIJ, Aminata Finda Massaquoi, gave an overview of the training stating that it is based on the importance for female journalists to understand the Gender Empowerment Bill which they will be reporting on, merits of the Bill and why they should promote it or relate to their various audiences.
Director of Gender Affairs in the Ministry of Gender and Children’s Affairs, said he was indeed happy since the Ministry signed a Memorandum of Understanding with SLAWIJ to help propagate gender related messages through the media and facilitate empowerment trainings.
He added that women must not be excluded from decision making processes especially those related to development. The Director maintained that men have been appearing as the stronger vessels while women are lagging behind underscoring how it is important to give opportunities to women in the process of developing the country.
Charles Vandi categorically stated that the Gender Empowerment Bill is not a political Bill but rather a development Bill and therefore implored media practitioners to facilitate its propagation on various platforms.
Millicent Kargbo, Executive President of SLAWIJ in her statement said it is a delight for her organization to be part of the conversation related to the Gender Empowerment Bill since they are focusing on women empowerment and promoting female journalists in decision making and participation.
She said the Gender Empowerment Bill 2021 seeks to address the political and economic empowerment of women through representation in each district, for women to contest under the tickets of various political parties with a minimum of 30% of women participating in key decision making.
A representative from Campaign for Good Governance, Sahr Kendema, elaborated more on the Bill, how it would be effective from its policy state to becoming a bill. He admonished all the female journalists and media influencers to help spread awareness on Bill to Parliamentarians and community residents in order to help propagate its relevance.
The Vice President of the Women’s Forum, Cecilia Bangura, take the participants of the training back to the 19th century during which period she said there were lots of workshops and trainings held for women to have more space in decision making.
She highlighted that women empowerment is important for their self esteem maintain that empowering women means giving them the right to access education, play key roles in the economy, politics and society as a whole maintaining that women can make meaningful and positive changes.
Gender equality and women empowerment USaid policy 2020 stated that the policy is to improve the life of people around the world by advancing gender equality and women empowerment and girls to participate fully in the development of their societies.
In the final sessions of the training the representative from the Campaign for Good Governance shared the outcomes of the consultations so far held on the bill and other aspects . A legal analysis of the Bill to enhance media campaign was done by Elvis Enoh Esq. and Aminata Finda Massaquoi delved into how to develop media messages from the Bill.
