MOIC Holds Town Hall meeting To fight Sexual and Gender Based Violence
By Mohamed Konneh
The government of Sierra Leone through the ministry of Information and Civic Education on Monday held a national town Hall Meeting on fighting sexual and gender based violence. The town hall meeting was held the Freetown City Council auditorium bringing the International community, officials from the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Health, Rainbow Center and school children.
Making his presentation the Director of Rainbow Initiative, Mr Daniel Ketor said they've done a survey that brings out key findings.
Mr. Ketor alluded to the influence of social norms such as customs and traditional beliefs that play a significant role in shaping the attitudes behaviour and practice.
He said ineffective support for GBV survivors, compromise on sexual matters, awareness of GBV, underreporting of abuse, perception of law enforcement all play key role in the fight against sexual gender violence.
He said there is every need to strengthening community engagement, sustaining support systems, justice and accountability, context specific interventions, strengthen data management system and multi sectorial collaboration.
The Minister of Health Dr. Austin Demby in his statement said to specifically deal with GBV, the ministry had trained health professionals to deal with cases of such nature.
He said in 2023 over 600 cases of SGBV were reported noting that this is unacceptable.
The Minister of Health noted that for any case of SGB that comes to health facilities such a case is reported to the police for action.
The Minister of Basic and Senor Secondary Education, Conrad Sackey while making his statement said cases are now been reported because sex education continue to enlighten the pupils and the reason they are now reporting.
‘We have seen teachers abusing pupils and a number of other vises. The ministry deals with such cases seriously which has led to the suspension of such teachers especially teachers with pin codes. We have challenge with teachers without pin code but we have now started taking action on teachers in this direction,” he said.
The inspector General of Police, William Fayia Selu in his statement said the police investigate, collaborate and do community awareness when it comes to gender based violence.
“The police has the family support unit that deals with such cases and that we work with the rainbow centre in this direction. We continue to investigate case of this nature and charge them to court. The challenge we have is with the DPP’s office,” he said.
The Inspector General of Police noted that another challenge on charging SGBV cases to court has to do with compromise and that most family compromises SGBV cases.
“Family even compromises cases when the case is in court. The FSU stations have been increase from 86 to 92 and that UNICEF has provided motorbikes that is now aiding us in reaching far to reach areas,” he said.
The Chief Justice, justice Brown Marke in his statement accepted that only one specialised court for SGBV cases exists and this is affecting trails.
He said cases involving children and women especially SGBV do not need to be tried in open court while adding that cases of such nature needed some serious funding.
“We need to build other courts to accommodate the specialised cases of SGBV. Before now GBV cases are tried in open court and this is not good. We as a society are now beginning to learn that we just cannot do anything to women and that the court is now paying serious attention to SGBV cases,” he said.
