The Campaign for Good Governance has held a regional electoral education and awareness raising training for young women in Bombali, Tonkolili, Koinadugu and Falaba districts, aimed to empower women on meaningful participation in democratic governance..
Harold H. Kamara, Head of CGG in Bombali district said the training cannot be unconnected from their mandate in increasing democratic participation through advocacy, capacity building and civic education, noting that they targeted young women because over time they have not been given the space needed to effectively participate in democratic governance.
He said: “We noticed that a category of people that have been left out in the electioneering process are the young women who have not been considered over the years but they are very critical in the process of elections.
“The training is aimed at positioning young women for meaningful participation in democratic governance in Sierra Leone. Today, we converged young women at the regional level from the four districts between the ages of 18 to 35 years and engage them to see the need to effectively participate in democratic governance, let them have positions and be at the forefront and that will help us as a nation to have an amount of sustainability”.
One of the facilitators of the training Mariama Sahid said key areas of focus during the training were the provisions of the Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Act and how currently EC-SL is ensuring the implementation of the thirty percent (30%) quota.
She said: “This is to increase the level of participation of young women in the 2023 elections and as well we want to know the strategies, they have put in place in ensuring peaceful and free-fair elections”.
She called on all women to vote for women aspirants regardless of their party, adding; “If we want to improve our status then we have to vote for the women aspirants irrespective of their party because they can able to channel our issues when they are part of the law-making process”.
