With the end of the ebola disease and the increase in rape cases across the country, the 14 Paramount Chiefs (PCs), Mammy Queens and Women Groups in Kailahun on Saturday engaged other stakeholders in drafting bye-laws against perpetrators of rape and other forms of violence against girls and women in the district.
Kailahun was known as the place where most things started including the eleven year civil war and the deadly ebola virus, among others, and before the civil war the district was renowned for its economic activities and international Trade Fair that used to take place in Koindu town.
With the declaration of the district being free of the deadly virus over 300 days ago, one of the most inhuman acts against women ‘rape’ increased in that part of the country with cases reported on frequent basis, a situation that left the women with no option but to see themselves as unfortunate as they were the most affected by the ebola virus, and during the civil war they were abused and even killed and now frequently raped/gang raped and even killed.
Speaking at the ceremony held at the Women Centre in Pendembu, Upper Bambara Chiefdom, the Chairman of the Council of Paramount Chiefs in that region, PC Cyril Foray Gondor explained that before the war women were treated like slaves in their homes despite working all day in the farm to feed the home.
He maintained that girl children were not allowed to attend school which was not the case after the war which saw the influx of Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO) including SEND Foundation which has been empowering the women through capacity building for them to know about their rights to contribute towards nation building through political participation and other forms of awareness raising.
“As traditional leaders, we are now committed more than ever before in supporting women participation in nation building. Gone are those days when women were treated like slaves as we men have the moral obligation to treat them as equally created by God,” he maintained.
PC Gondor urged his colleague Paramount Chiefs to come up with vital bye-laws to protect their wives, daughters and sisters who are under serious threat by some useless men who have lost their senses, adding that many a time they do make laws but fail to implement them simple because there were no penalties for defaulters but ‘this time round there will be no escape route for perpetrators of violence against women’.
According to the Country Director of Social Enterprise Development (SEND) Foundation, Joseph Ayamga, inhuman treatment against women and girls is something that everyone should fight against, explaining that if there is a violent in one family or society it affects everyone in the chiefdom.
He maintained that with support from the Hamilton Family through Christian Aid, they have been able to support the women of Kailahun in various areas including the fight against rape and all other forms violence against women, stating that some girls are unable to return to school because they have been raped by someone in her community which has destroyed her future.
PC Sheku Kaloblangoi Jibila IV stated that laws must be informed by policy on the ground for it to succeed as most of the laws were made without made known to the various communities, explaining that the issue of prosecution, delay in investigation sometimes destroy the evidence in most rape cases as police stations might be far away from the remote villages which is why PCs/Mammy Queens should be empowered to be the first point of contact.
Speaking on behalf of the Kailahun Women in Governance Network (KWiGN), Madam Lucy F Gondor disclosed that the ebola disease killed more women, the rebels killed more women and now the men are raping/gang raping the young girls who are the future leaders of the nation. ‘Enough is enough’, she screamed, saying “which was why we invited our PCs, Mammy Queens to make bye-laws that will protect girls and women.
She encouraged the participants to make laws that are within their reach and will be able to handle in their own little way to ensure security for women in the district and the country as a whole, citing some of the international treaties that make provisions protecting women and girls in society.
To get a comprehensive bye-laws, the participants were divided into three groups; the PCs, the Mammy Queens and the Network women in order to come up with appropriate issues and recommend solutions as a comprehensive bye-laws are expected within the shortest possible time to help save the girls and women in the district.
By Alhaji M. Kamara
Tuesday November 17, 2015
ADVERTISEMENT