By Francis H. Murray
Human Solidarity, a community-based organization has wrapped up a two-day training for women in politics. The program which is sponsored by the charity, Caritas and the British High Commission, was meant to build the capacity of the women, according to the organizers of the event.
Over 30 participants were taking part in the training which is ongoing at the St Anthony Hall in Freetown from Wednesday February 12 to Thursday February 13.
Organizers said the training also aims at increasing women’s participation in the politics.
In his opening remarks on Wednesday, Executive Director of Human Solidarity, Idriss Gibson Mansaray, said that the training would not only empower women but also develop their human psyche in understanding how the politics of the country works.
‘‘This project is to increase political participation of women in Sierra Leone. The main objective is to contribute to the increase of women political participation thereby enabling political parties women’s wing to become competent and skilled to effectively participate in politics,’’ Mansaray said.
The participants were also taught important tools like advocacy, campaigning, lobbying and other vital knowledge and skills that would contribute to their growth in politics.
Haja Fatmata Manso Kamara, Organizing Secretary of the Women’s Congress of the main opposition All Peoples Congress party, stated that women were always ready for politics, but that intimidation and the lack of support had been their main challenge.
‘‘There’re capable women in Sierra Leone that can stand the men, but most of them are quickly hindered especially in culturally dominated areas by some archaic intimidating practices of the men such as the Poro societal tactics to discourage women, thereby keeping us behind,’’ she noted,
Fatmata Sawaneh, National Women’s Leader of the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party, urged women to support the development process and engage in politicking during elections.
‘‘But I think where the problem is, even after the political polls, we continue to be politicians, which I think we should drop. After the polls, we’re Sierra Leonean women, let’s promote Sierra Leone. Then when it comes to elections, let’s go back to the drawing board and wear our party gears. But if we’re politicians throughout the way or within the five years we’ve had a political government, we would not achieve anything,’’ she stated.
Representative from the National Grand Coalition (NGC), Fatmata Caulker, who is the Regional Women’s Leader South, said that women should no longer wait for men to empower them because the men had failed over the years.
‘‘We need to stand up as women, let’s move with or without them. We’re strong enough, we have the popularity, we have the numbers to make a woman be a president in Sierra Leone,’’ Caulker said.
At the end of the training, participants are expected to go back to their different parties and influence change to support their colleague women.
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