The Director of Gender and Children’s Affairs in the Ministry of Gender and Children’s Affairs (MGCA), Marian Goodie Sowonie on 14th November 2024 informed this medium in an exclusive interivew at her 16 Big Waterloo Street headquarters in Freetown that this year’s Sixteen (16) Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence is a global campaign that runs annually from November 25th to December 10th, aimed at raising awareness and promoting action to end violence against women and girls enlightening that the 16 Days of Activism this year centers around the global theme: “Towards 30 Years of Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action: Unite to End Violence Against Women.”
The expected outcomes of the 16 Days of Activism are increased awareness of gender-based violence issues, empowered communities through education and resources, strengthened collaborations among stakeholders and enhanced support system for survivors.
Marian Goodie Sowonie added that the contextualized theme is” Beijing +30: join an for tap violence pan uman en gyal pikin” underscoring that this theme highlights the critical need to reflect on progress made since the adoption of the Beijing Declaration in 1995, which set a global agenda for advancing gender equality and empowering women and that this initiative serves as a reminder of the ongoing struggle for gender equality and the need for collective action to address the pervasive issue of violence against women.
She also informed that the rationale for this event stems from the urgent need to address the ongoing epidemic of violence against women and girls, which not only affects their physical and mental well-being but also hinders their ability to participate fully in society underlining that despite significant progress made since the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, many women and girls continue to face various forms of violence, including physical, sexual and emotional abuse.
According to Marian Goodie Sowonie, the campaign seeks to engage communities, governments and organizations in a unified effort to combat this violence and promote the rights of women and girls affirming that by bringing attention to this issue through the 16 Days of Activism, the Ministry and its partners would mobilize communities to take action, support survivors and advocate for systemic changes that protect women’s rights. “This campaign serves as a platform to amplify the voices of those affected by violence and to inspire collective efforts towards creating a culture of respect, equality and safety for all. Engaging diverse stakeholders, including community members, organizations and policymakers, is essential in building a united front against gender-based violence and promoting a future where women and girls can live free from fear and discrimination,” she articulated.
On the specific objectives of the campaign, the Director of Gender and Children’s Affairs highlighted raising awareness about the prevalence and impact of violence against women in various communities, empowering women and girls with knowledge about their rights and available resources for support, mobilizing community action through outreach that encourage dialogue and engagement and fostering partnerships among local organizations to enhance support services for survivors of violence.
She further disclosed that some of the specific activities this year are launch of “Real Man Campaign” aimed at engaging men and boys in the fight against gender-based violence that would feature speeches, performances and discussions to promote positive masculinity and social responsibility and continued that the event would bring together government officials, development partners, UN Agencies and various stakeholders and that it would serve as a critical platform for fostering collaboration and commitment towards addressing gender-based violence and promoting gender equality.
The other specific objectives for this year are awareness raising campaigns, organizing media campaigns in various media outlets highlighting the importance of the Beijing Declaration and educating the public on the various forms of violence against women, using hashtags to spread the message widely, community outreaches or town hall meetings in local communities to empower women and girls with knowledge about their rights, resources available for support, and ways to report violence.
The other objectives are sensitization in schools/universities to teach young people about respect, consent and healthy relationships, helping to prevent violence before it starts, a vibrant float parade displaying messages of empowerment and solidarity against gender-based violence during which participants will dress in themed attire and carry banners and placards to raise awareness.
