The Network Movement for Democracy and Human Rights (NMDHR) in collaboration with ACTION PLUS last week held a day’s forum at the Youth Sport Club, Kenema city, to discuss ethical campaigning and tolerance.
The forum was funded by the Westminster Foundation for Democracy in the United Kingdom.
In his opening remarks the chairman of the occasion who is also the chairman of the District Monitoring Committee (DMC) East, Mohamed Vandi, called on participants to pass on the knowledge they would gain from the workshop to the public.
Mr Vandi said, “the objectives are to enhance understanding of the campaign ethics of political parties and discuss enforcement and interaction between political parties and to promote tolerance during the electioneering period”.
He further stressed that, “NMDHR is one of the human rights organisations that is strongly advocating good governance and information dissemination among civil society, political parties and the media”.
Outlining the purpose of the meeting Attu Leslie Attipoe, ACTION PLUS’ project officer East, said they were working in collaboration with NMDHR in order to promote the project’s concept of promoting interaction among citizens, political parties and government before, during and after the elections.
“Three stakeholders namely civil society organisations, the media and political parties are the target groups. The purpose is to strengthen the capacity of civil society organisations, political parties’ strategies and the media in order for participatory governance and information dissemination to be felt in the region. Finally to see that peaceful co-existence and stable governance is enjoyed in Sierra Leone,” noted Mr Attipoe.