By Chernor Alimamy Kamara
In the performance contract signed between Cabinet Ministers with President Julius Maada Bio, Minister of Gender and Children’s Affairs, Dr. Isata Mahoi has promised to reduce child multidimensional poverty in the country.
Detailing the specific outcomes to which her ministry will contribute for the long-term development of Sierra Leone, she vowed to reduce the number of children suffering from violence, abuse and neglect. She also promised to establish child rights infrastructures and child protection mechanisms that include policies, laws, regulations and international instruments with gender issues mainstreamed in governance.
By December this year, the ministry aims to achieve outputs which involve the commencement of the review, re-enactment, popularization and implementation of the Child Act of 2007. It also aims to reduce child abuse, violence and neglect by 25% and to rollout Gender Based Violence Information Management (GBVIM) in 6 districts.
The ministry promised to resuscitate and make functional the Network of Women Ministers and Parliamentarians (NEWMAP) and Association of Female Ministers and Councilors. It also aims to increase access to vulnerable children to rehabilitation services and create or facilitate 1,500 (one thousand, five hundred) youth jobs through project activities, mandate, employability skills promotion, employer lobbying and apprentices placement and volunteerism.
Subject to the availability of resources, the Gender Ministry seeks to either implement or oversee the implementation of scaling business development for women in Falaba district for the cost of $1,000.000.00 (one million United States Dollars).
The ministry committed to achieve key managerial targets and indicators by the end of the year which includes developing, signing and commencing the implementation of two ministerial agreements and making conscious efforts to increase development expenditure by 30% as against recurrent expenditure.
It also seeks to improve domestic revenue generation to the tune of $10,000 (ten thousand United States Dollars) and ensure compliance with budgetary level and its regulations by 85%.
The Ministry of Gender and Children’s Affairs is mandated to lead the development, implementation and monitoring of the policy and legal framework for issues relating to Women and to children below 18.
Copyright © 2024 Politico (12/06/24)
