By Mabinty M. Kamara
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has called on member states to take immediate action to protect women and girls from sexual and gender-based violence.
The ECOWAS statement comes in the backdrop of increased reports of sexual violence cases in the region not least in Sierra Leone.
“The almost daily news reports of rape of children including toddlers who are violated and in many cases raped to death are very disturbing and utterly unacceptable,” the statement reads in part.
The body therefore condemned these act of violence on women and girls noting that it was against regional and international laws especially the ECOWAS Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance and the ECOWAS Child Policy 2019-2030.
It says sexual violence goes against fundamental African norms and value systems stressing that the well-being of every child must be the “primary responsibility of every family and community”.
The statement notes that the ECOWAS Commission and the Regional Child Protection Working Group (RCPWG) had earlier on the 20 April 2020 issued a Joint Advisory to all ECOWAS member states as a call to action and guidance to mainstream Child protection in Government Response to the COVID-19 pandemic and recovery plans.
The statement continues: “The ECOWAS Commission in line with the Joint Advisory recommends that the member states take immediate action to ensure the continued functioning of the Child-Friendly reporting mechanisms such as Child Help Line and hotlines to enable child-friendly reporting, counseling and response. ECOWAS also urges traditional, religious and opinion leaders at the national and community levels to mobilize the people against all forms of Sexual Gender Based-Violence”
It assures that as immediate steps, the Commission will convene a virtual meeting of the relevant national institutions in member countries, with international partners and non-state actors to agree on a joint Regional Action Plan against Gender Based-Violence with a special focus on Child Sexual Abuse.
The spate of rape in West Africa has in lately been on the increase especially in Sierra Leone and Nigeria. This has been met with fierce condemnation from activists in both countries.
The Rainbow Center, a group that helps rape victims has recorded more than 1,000 sexual assault cases in the first five months of the year across their five centres in Sierra Leone.
Last week the country broke into rage and anger after a five-year old, Khadija Saccoh died after a medical report showed that she had been raped. The incident was also followed by the rape of a four-year-old who is currently in hospital.
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