In commemoration of the international women’s day celebration, the National Secretariat for the Reduction of Teenage pregnancy with support from CORDAID has organized a one-day Youth Friendly Award 2021 Summit with the theme: “Youth support women in leadership achieving an equal future in a COVID-19 world”, at the Sahara Hotel in Bo.
The ceremony was well attended by stakeholders and students from six districts across the country.
The Chairperson of the ceremony who doubles as the Chief Administrator of the Bo City Council, Mrs. Veronica Josephine Fortune said that women and girls are undergoing challenges and tribulations in life, but she encourage them that in spite of those challenges; they need to persevere and build a brighter future.
She encouraged young girls to focus on their education to be able to take over the mantle of women currently in leadership. Fortune reminded school going girls that government has spent lots of money to bring the free quality education encouraging them to put on a more it serious attitude towards it.
In her welcome address, the National Coordinator of National Secretariat for the Reduction of Teenage Pregnancy and Child Marriage, Mrs Patricia Matu Bah explained that when she knew about the World Women’s day, she talked to her colleagues and partners about what they should do to ensure that the Secretariat be a part of this years’ celebration . Mrs. Bah noted that they at the Secretariat are passionate about women and girls as they are vulnerable in society.
Patricia Matu Bah says that statistics have shown that teenage pregnancy is on the increase in the country. She highlighted that some of the reasons for teenage pregnancy range from the effects of single parenting, poverty etc. She encouraged school girls to always reject men as they are school girls.
She mentioned that when they finish their education they could become wives as they would have been full grown adult at that time.
She emphasized that the Secretariats’ focus is from age 15-19 years.
Wilson Salia Koroma, a representative from the Ministry of Gender and Children’s Affairs said that their primary responsibility is to protect women, girls and children and that laws are there to protect them. He added that the ministry has put structures in place at chiefdom, district and regional level. He told the girls to report violations against them.
The Program Coordinator of CORDAID, Iddrisa Sesay said that that Organization seeks the welfare of women and children, especially girls, and added that they have formed social clubs which focus on promoting the welfare of women and children in some districts of the country. He referenced that the Truth and Reconciliation (TRC) reports captured the then fact that women and girls are marginalized in Sierra Leone.
A participant, a year III student, pursuing Political Science at Njala University doubling as a Child Rights Activist, Augusta Kallon said that many young girls had been impregnated and those who impregnated them could not even feed themselves. She added the culprits usually walk freely while the girls are confined at home.
She encouraged school girls to concentrate on their education as it will capacitate and enable them to be self-reliant.
Group work and presentation of Action Plans by district and presentation of Awards climaxed the ceremony.
By Stephen V. Lansana
11/03/2021. ISSUE NO: 8018