By Foday Moriba Conteh
As part of their aim to engage and collaborate with relevant State institutions and professional bodies to take forward the campaign on the enactment of a Reproductive Health Law in the country, the People Alliance for Reproductive Health Advocacy (PARHA) on Wednesday 19th May, 2021, presented the draft Safe Motherhood and Reproductive Health Bill to stakeholders during a one day stakeholder’s consultation meeting held at the New Brookfield’s Hotel in Freetown.
The draft Safe Motherhood and Reproductive Health Bill, which has been presented to stakeholders, was to avail them the opportunity to discuss what are imbedded in the draft Safe Motherhood and Reproductive Health Bill and make recommendations before the final Bill is presented to Cabinet and then Parliament.
Giving an overview of PHAHA’s activities, Co-founder and Chairman of PHAHA, Fodie P.O Kamara, revealed that the issue of unsafe abortion continues to plague us as a nation, adding that women and girls are dying further highlighting the need for collective approach in engaging key stakeholders on issues relating to the Bill.
He pointed out how they do appreciate the effort made by the Inter-Religious Council for taking part in the stakeholders’ consultation as, according to him, such is a manifestation that they are in the right footing.
The Chairman also stated that tracing the journey of the Safe Abortion Bill from 2012 unto the day former President Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma refused to sign the Bill in 2015, they looked at the Memo and realized that there were less consultations among stakeholders, stressing that the reason for this key stakeholders’ consultation is to address that gap and see how they can achieve the Safe Motherhood Bill.
He revealed that they had signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Inter-Religious Council followed by a meeting with them on the 31st January, 2019 wherein, they agreed to establish a Joint Advocacy Working Group, adding that concerns were raised during the first engagement with the Council and they have addressed those concerns.
The Head of Media of the Inter-Religious Council Sierra Leone, Rev. Tamba Bric Mbayo, expressed gratitude to the People Alliance for Reproductive Health Advocacy (PARHA) for the consultative meeting and the presentation of the draft Safe Motherhood and Reproductive Health Bill to them as stakeholders which he descried as a move in the right direction.
He said that as a Council they were not totally against the Safe Abortion Bill which former President Ernest Bai Korma refused to sign in 2015 saying, however, it was an understanding that some portions of it must be expunged.
Rev. Tamba Bric Mbayo added that since recommendations were proffered they never went back to the Council with the Bill underscoring how probably the issue would have been laid to rest.
He said, as a Council, they are very happy to be part of the consultation on the proposed Bill adding that they will take the draft bill to their constituents for further deliberations and recommendations which will be communicated to PARHA.
Delivering a statement, Deputy Minister of Health 1 applauded the People Alliance for Reproductive Health Advocacy (PARHA) for convening the meeting which he described as not only important but timely stating that the issues at hand need consultation and deliberations among relevant stakeholders.
He noted that the issue about the Safe Motherhood and Reproductive Health Bill is a national one considering the high and unacceptable mortality rate in the country adding that all hands must be on deck to fight towards the reduction of mortality rate in the country.
The Minister said the Ministry of Health and PARHA cannot do it and therefore collaboration with all stakeholders is significant.
He said as a Ministry they will sit together in order to look at the draft Safe Motherhood and Reproductive Health Bill and see how the Ministry will come up with recommendations.
In his presentation on the Proposed Draft Safe Motherhood and Reproductive Health Bill, the Consultant of the Bill, Idressa Kargbo, said the country needs a law on sexual and reproductive health in order to comply to obligations under the Maputo protocol, adding that it will also implement one of the Ministry of Health and Sanitation’s national target under outcome 5 of the MTNDP.
Underscoring the purpose of the Bill he said it is to recognize and promote sexual and reproductive health rights of Women in line with the Maputo protocol, noting that it will make sexual and reproductive health services safe, accessible and qualitative in order to respect, protect and fulfill the right to sexual and reproductive health of women in the country.
Idressa Kargbo concluded by stating that there is an urgent need to complete the incorporation of the provisions of the Maputo protocol by enacting the Safe Motherhood and Reproductive Health bill into an Act of which he added that there is need to consolidate laws on reproductive health.
The event was climaxed by a plenary session during which period participants made meaningful contributions on the proposed draft Safe Motherhood and Reproductive Health Bill followed by the adoption of action points.
