The Speaker of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament has inspired the women of Sierra Leone to join political parties of their choices. Rt. Hon. Sidie Mohamed Tunis called on them to contest for elective positions in the forthcoming multitier elections.
He made the statement at the ECOWAS Female Parliamentarians Association Sensitization Campaign on the Proportional Representation system with the theme: “Scaling Up Political Partnership Between Men and Women”, hosted at the Foreign Service Academy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Corporation, Tower Hill in Freetown.
Rt. Hon. Tunis applauded President Julius Maada Bio for providing the political will and exceptional leadership to enact the Gender Equity and Women’s Empowerment Act.
He said the president has committed to championing gender issues, adding that the Act will actively involve women in politics not just to campaign for individuals but to also contest for elective positions.
In her address, the president of ECOWAS Female Parliamentarians Association (ECOFEPA), Madam Woraye Sarr celebrated with her sisters from Sierra Leone on the passage of the Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Bill into a law.
She described the programme as timely which reinforces ECOFEPA strategic objectives which is to boost women and youth participations in politics and decision making at all levels.
She disclosed that some countries in ECOWAS had made progress in the enactment of the laws and policies for institutions to promote the protection of women’s right, yet there is still a huge deficit when it comes to effective implementation of the Act.
She reiterated that gender machineries remain among the weakest public institutions especially at a time when they are needed the most to push the women and youth agenda forward.
Madam Sarr lamented that the GEWE quota will go into effect ahead of Sierra Leone’s upcoming presidential parliamentary and local council elections on June 24, 2023.
She called on female and male political practitioners to work side by side to ensure that they deliver the dividends of democracy to their citizens.
In her statement the president of the Female Parliamentary Caucus in Sierra Leone, Hon. Veronica Kadie Sesay said they should now put their words into actions by promoting gender equality and women participations.
She said they played their part in achieving the 30% quota of female representation. She noted that the PR system is legally adopted. She said there is possibility that the 6th parliament will pass the 30% quota.
She however raised concern about the positioning of the female candidates. She intimated that it is time for Political Parties Regulations Commission and Electoral Commission for Sierra Leone to play their part to achieve the 30% quota.
