By Prince J Musa in Kenema.
The International Rescue Committee (IRC) say they are currently rolling out a project designed to empower survivors of Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV).
The project – Protection of Girls and Women Against Sexual Penetration and Gender Based Violence (POWER) – has already given grants to 493 women in Kenema District.
Project coordinator, Janette Garber told Politico that the IRC, with funds from USAID, is also providing capacity building in the form of bursary support for parents of victims, as a way of discouraging the practice of settling rape or sexual penetration cases at community level.
“The project has created mutual understanding between men, women and their children to know the roles and responsibilities as families and in the communities, as well as their rights and limitations for peaceful coexistence,” Garber said.
The IRC is currently targeting 1,000 rural women in 40 communities across four chiefdoms in the district, with the goal of strengthening the women’s groups to respond and to prevent cases of sexual penetration of girls.
The 493 women were given Le 786,000 each. The beneficiaries come from Dodo, Dama, Simbaru and Niawa chiefdoms, covering 25 groups. In addition to their individual business ventures, the women have organized a loan scheme to which they make weekly contributions as a way of sustaining their incomes.
Senior Grant Manager at IRC, Alusine Kpulun, noted that the project had created awareness to women to see themselves as strong pillars within their families and to have a say in decisions taken by their husbands.
“This has also helped to reduce domestic violence in those communities, because of the proactiveness of women,” Kpulun said.
IRC works closely with the Rainbow Centre, which was established in 2011 to respond to victims of domestic violence.
Head of the centre in Kenema, Saffiatu Jalloh told Politico that despite this support the cases of rape and sexual penetration were still high. She said they had recorded 558 cases from January to October 2019.
“Cases of sexual penetration are alarming in our operational areas. There is only one rainbow centre for Kenema and Kailahun districts,” she said.
“From our data, 526 of the cases are sexual penetration, 32 physical assaults and domestic violence. 110 of the sexual penetration cases are positive for teenage pregnancy,” Jalloh added.
© 2019 Politico Online
