Sia Koroma
By Zainab Joaque
First Lady, Sia Nyama Koroma has challenged Sierra Leonean women to take the lead in the constitutional review process saying: “this time around we should not let go of this golden opportunity".
She said "women from all walks of life should be engaged in the current drafting of the Gender Bill and the constitutional review process”.
Mrs Koroma was speaking on Tuesday at the opening of a two-day national stakeholders conference on the Convention on the Elimination and all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) Action Plan and the Women’s Empowerment and Gender Equality Bill in Magburaka.
The concluding remarks on the Agenda for Prosperity, especially Pillar 8 which talks about Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment, she said, needed to be integrated into the ongoing constitutional review. “Let us align our thoughts on the development of this Bill and the engendering of the current constitutional review process," she urged.
She said women in the country had repeatedly called for the enactment of the Women’s Empowerment and Gender Equality Bill including the minimum 30% quota for women in governance at all levels.
The Committee of experts on CEDAW. she went on, had expressed concern over the domestication of CEDAW, adding: “Sierra Leone has a dual legal system that demands our government to sign and ratify international and regional instruments". She warned thus: "we need to be mindful that signing and ratifying does not suggest domestication”.
However, Mrs Koroma said government had made tremendous progress towards partial domestication of CEDAW and even the regional instruments like the AU Protocol to the African Charter on Human and People's Rights, on the rights of Women in Africa, Maputo Protocol and the AU Heads of State Solemn Declaration on Gender Equality amongst others.
Minister of Gender Affairs , Moijueh Kaikai said the key action for him was the passing of the 30% quota bill. He warned that when a sexual offence matter occurs it should not be settled at home, but rather a matter for the police to deal with.
The Human Rights Advisor at the United Nations Country Team, Andrew MacGregor emphasised on the importance of the issue of gender equality which he said dealt with social empowerment and fulfilment of their human rights. He advised stakeholders to base their actions on the continued high rate of domestic violence which he said would help with the direct implementation of a strong non-
discrimination clause at the constitutional review process.
“I am encouraging you all to come out of this meeting with workable solutions and I am looking forward to receive the document with a concrete action plan as we will continue to meet our obligations” he promised.
(C) Politico 15/05/14
