By Politico Staff Writer
Special ECOWAS Representative, Fatmata Jam has expressed her appreciation for Sierra Leone and other partners for their involvement in the implementation of International Humanitarian Law (IHL), Trafficking in Persons (TIP), Gender Based Violence (GBV) and Child Rights in the era of COVID-19 pandemic.
The Envoy made the statement at the Atlantic hotel in Freetown on Monday 2nd August 2021 during an engagement, as part of a five day mission to Sierra Leone that will end on Friday 6th August 2021.
Vice President Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh thanked her for leading such an advocacy and public engagement. He said that such a drive used to be championed by other international bodies like the UN and EU, and expressed delight that ECOWAS is championing a cause that Sierra Leone was also prioritizing.
Vice President Jalloh highlighted the government’s strides in GBV and children’s affairs, admitting that the country has moved in the right direction. “Upon assumption of office, the government had to grapple with issues of gender based violence and sexual abuse,” the Vice President said. He stated that President Bio countered the many challenges he faced with strategic plans and actions. He said these were what aid the massive progress on gender and children’s issues.
The Vice President also stated that these actions included legislative reforms that saw the establishment of institutions like the Sexual Model Court to combat sexual offences and reinforcement of the Family Support Unit of the Sierra Leone Police to aid GBV and children’s cases. He maintained that the government was also committed to advancing the cause of women and continuation of the fight against trafficking in persons.
ECOWAS has been in partnership with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) for member states to implement IHL by protecting the fundamental human rights of citizens of the bloc. ECOWAS has encouraged member states to implement the IHL Plan of Action at national level by integrating it with national strategies.
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