By Mary Kabay
Two outstanding parliamentary oversight committees on Health and Sanitation and Gender and Children’s Affairs and some members of the Female Caucus were engaged in a day’s workshop by the Rainbo Initiative on the 19th May 2021 at Country Lodge Hotel on Hill Station in Freetown. The workshop which focused on Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) has as its theme: “The Role of Service Providers and Parliament to End Sexual and Gender-Based Violence”.
Rainbow Initiative (RI) is a national organization that is passionate about ending sexual and gender-based violence in Sierra Leone through the provision of free medical, psychosocial services, and national advocacy to influence policy change.
Welcoming MPs, the Executive Director of Rainbo Initiative, Daniel Kettor said, “we are here to discuss sexual offences that are strongly affecting the development and growth of women in Sierra Leone”, adding that the Government has taken serious actions aimed at addressing gender-based violence and commended MPs for the enacting into law the Sexual Offences Act and called on MPs to work directly with Civil Society Organizations to address gender-based violence in the country.
Dr. Christian Williams, a Physician working directly with Rainbo Initiative highlighted her role in the promotion of issues relating SGBV.
The Director, Center for Research and Parliamentary Studies, Parliament of Sierra Leone, Mohamed Jalloh highlighted the importance of the Center regarding capacity building in Parliament. He said the Center is supporting both MPs and Staff in terms of research and training and the need to use research evidence in their work, adding that the Center is aimed at collaborating with other organizations to foster a positive partnership.
Alison French, Advocacy and Communications Coordinator outlined the historical background of Rainbo Initiative and it achievements since its inception and presented statistical data on sexual and gender-based violence in their operational areas.
Lead Facilitator, Hon. Dr. Bernadette Lahai, former Minority Leader in Parliament presented an abridged version of the Sexual Offences Amendment Act of 2019 and spoke on effective oversight by Parliament and the use of data to enhance effective Parliamentary oversight.
