By Steven Ngauja

First Lady Fatima Bio on Saturday launched her anti-Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) movement in Kono with a passionate appeal for support from traditional and religious leaders.

The ‘Hands Off Our Girls’ campaign seeks to end SGBV, with particular emphasis on rape, which has taken an epidemic proportion in the country.

Mrs Bio launched the idea at national level shortly after her husband took office in April last year. The campaign, which seems to be growing to a global movement, gained international recognition recently after it was introduced to world leaders at the last UN General Assembly in New York in September.

Over the weekend, the First Lady launched the idea in two districts, Makeni and Kono.

The event in Kono, which was graced by dignitaries, including ministers, heads of MDAs, civil society and representatives of some international development partners, also marked the symbolic handing over of the campaign to the Paramount Chiefs in the district.

Mrs Bio said the idea of launching the campaign at district level was a deliberate move to call to action relevant stakeholders, particularly the chiefs who command life time authority and influence on their people. She said religious leaders, particularly Muslim clerics (Imams), as well as traditional leaders, play a major role in promoting child marriage by auhorizing and officiating them, hence the need to engage them at this level.

In her statement at the event held at the Ansarul Islamic Girls Secondary School, Mrs Bio highlighted the social, economic and health consequences of sexual violence against girls, noting that it has the potential to ruin the future of a nation. She lamented that Sierra Leone is ranked as a leading nation in Africa in terms of maternal deaths and sexual violence against women and girls, hence the need for urgent action.

The ‘Hands Off Our Girls’ campaign was partly credited for influencing the presidential declaration of a state of emergency on sexual violence earlier this year. Although that controversial action by President Bio provoked a nationwide debate, it paved the way for the fast tracking of the amendment of the Sexual Offences law, which was eventually passed earlier this month.

As part of her speech, Mrs Bio made reference to the law, which she vowed would be used to the latter against anyone found wanting.

She warned parents against compromising cases in the name of safeguarding family unity. She also had a word for police officers who downplay the importance of SGBV cases, noting that she had been told that most of the time the police dismiss cases citing loss of case files. She said any police officer who attempts to dawn play any case, irrespective of their rank and age in the force, shall not only be dismissed but will also be prosecuted.

Mrs Bio also admonished girls to shun materialism and maintain their self-esteem for a brighter future.

Paramount Chief Emanuel Torche Foryoh of Soa Chiefdom, who is the Chairman of the Council of Paramount Chiefs in Kono District, who also doubled as chairman of the occasion, described as worrisome the rate of sexual abuse of girls in the district.

PC Foryoh therefore said the campaign is timely and pledged the support of traditional leaders in ensuring its success.

“I am pledging this day to you that we the traditional leaders of this land, having recognized our stake and placed us in the forefront of this campaign, we shall do all we can to achieve this future redeeming challenge of yours,” he told the First Lady.

A representative of the children of the district, Adama Finda Boway, who is also president of the Children’s Forum Network in Kono, thanked Mrs Bio for her timely intervention.

“We are girls, we are strong, we are smart and we can lead if empowered,” she said, while lamenting the “inhuman actions” of some men who instill fear in girls.

Rebecca Yei Kamara, the only female parliamentarian from Kono District, in a statement cautioned stakeholders in society whose only business is to destroy the future of the younger generation by impregnating them in their teens. The amended sexual offences law, she emphasized, shall be workable and never to be influenced.

© 2019 Politico Online