By Mohamed Foday Conteh
The National Democratic Institute (NDI) in collaboration with the Political Parties Registration Commission (PPRC) is set to enable female politicians of all 17 political parties in the country to be at the higher cadre of their various parties.
The Resident Director of NDI, Mohamed Ibrahim Konneh, while addressing representatives of political parties at the New Brookfields Hotel in Freetown on Tuesday 18th January this year, said they believe that there is a need to include women’s participation in political parties.
“Our goal is to enhance the meaningful participation of women in political parties in Sierra Leone,” he said.
Konneh said their Network for Emerging Women (NEW) project will require members to apply for an admission programme this year.
He affirmed that the application has been made open to all political parties but that only a few have applied. He said the applications will be sent to the United States for processing before selections are made for eight suitable applicants to spend a week at a boot camp in Ivory Coast.
The Resident Director stated that the programme is designed to build on the gains made to increase dialogue among political parties as well as citizens.
He added that the project seeks to continue the partnership with the PPRC as the institution responsible for monitoring and regulating the conduct of political parties.
The Chairman of PPRC, Lawyer Abdulai Masiyambay Bangurah said they will implement the project by coordinating their regional offices to work in line with the leadership of all political parties in the country.
He said they will also bring in experts to aid in the various discussions they will be having up upcountry.
He brought to the notice of the attendees that there is a gender empowerment bill in Parliament that advocates for a 30 percent quota for women’s inclusion in politics.
The National Deputy Women’s Leader of the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP), Rosamond Mattia said that they are willing as a party to work with the project.
Mattia said that she believes her party has a level place for women to participate but further urged her compatriots in the party to continue to create an open platform for women to participate in politics.
She said that they as women of the SLPP are seeking for a safe seat in the party and are so ready to work with NDI and PPRC.
The Women’s Leader of the All People’s Congress (APC) party North America, Mariama Bangura said that their party has already started working towards achieving the 30 percent quota as manifested in their concluded convention in Makeni.
Bangura said that although the 30 percent is encouraging, she wants to see more. She pleaded with NDI and other stakeholders to capacitate women to be confident enough to vie for positions at the higher echelons of their various parties.
She however questioned the ability of women to steer such positions at their various parties by drawing reference to illiteracy, sexual harassment, and character assassination among others to be possible stumbling blocks.
Some participants at the meeting called on the government to provide funds for them in order for them to fully capacitate their women.
Tamba S.A. Gbekie, Secretary-General of the National Unity and Reconciliation Party said that smaller parties are struggling because of lack of funds.
He said that this will affect the implementation of the NEW project launched by NDI.
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