Sierra Leone: Calls for the protection of Women in Politics

Chadia Talib-Bo, Southern Sierra Leone

If we (Sierra Leone) as a nation are serious about realizing the Millennium Development Goals and also about the general wellbeing of our country, we collectively must make a millennial offer. A key step in that direction is giving women due access to every sphere of society particularly so at the political arena.

Such a move will not only make women feel safe and secured, but it also will open the way for them to contribute effectively by showcasing their talents as equal partners in nation advancement.

Women must be let to exercise their God-given rights to associate, assemble and participate. They must, above all, be respected.

A core principle of democracy demands the unhindered participation of all, including women. Women’s involvement in politics does not mean merely supporting one party or the other or voting for this or that candidate. It also means having women, too, vying for political positions alongside men, and not being discriminated against based on their gender, either by the electorate or in the process of appointments to political positions.

Elections after elections we see Sierra Leonean women being relegated to performing menial chores for politicians such as cooking, singing and dancing at political rallies, campaigning and organizing meetings.

In conflict situations such as civil wars, women become primary targets for all forms of abuses, specifically because combatants viewed them as the cohesive force of society that should be crushed if they should invoke terror, weaken and defeat their enemies.

However, whenever there is genuine desire for peace-making following conflicts, warring parties consider it important to get women involved as mediators and peacemakers, knowing that they bring to the process the deep sense of humanity that is lacking in the mindset of the warring parties.

This speaks to the fact that even those who are bent on suppressing women, always, are very much aware that women’s inputs are equally essential to the success and vitality of every human community. Notwithstanding, the male-dominating political class of the world continues to ignore this fact just so to keep women at the bottom and discard them once their goals have been achieved.

Instead, the derogatory term of women being the ‘weaker sex' - structured in bogus definitions -continues to be used to classify womanhood. And, there is little effort to free the world of that patriarchal-grip, which still keeps women dependent on men, economically and otherwise.

It will be unfair not to credit the country for taking steps in empowering women especially lately with the appointments of some into leadership positions. However, that has not translated much into addressing the problems that plaque their full entry into the political realm.

A series of resolutions have been passed at various International conventions. The Elimination of all forms of Violence against Women (CEDAW-1991) and the Convention on Civil and Political Rights (CCPR) are two examples. But we are yet to see full enforcements of many of these laws. The bulk of them remain mere color-scribbling on white papers.

The United Nations defines violence against women as any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in physical, sexual or mental harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private life.

But words in themselves are not enough to deliver. Sierra Leone must establish a separate parliamentary committee on women’s affairs; one that also guarantees their involvement in politics. We must let actions speak.

Countries like Rwanda, Pakistan, Spain and Sweden have made tremendous strides in addressing the issue. We owe it to ourselves, to our country and to future generations. We must take the lead.

The many difficult challenges our women contend with, daily, have been sending negative signals to a great number of them particularly those who want to venture into politics.

All we need to do is ensure that women get the freedom and protection due them to participate fully in politics. And NOW is the time to act. We cannot afford to prolong the effort any further

Chadia Talib is a writer, Women’s right advocate and entrepreneur. She lives in Bo. Southern Sierra Leone.

Sierra Leone: Charles Margai violates basic tenet of the rule of law

(By Aroun R. Deen,

New York)

Charles Margai violates basic tenet of the rule of law

For any practicing lawyer, professional codes of conduct and canons of ethics dictate that compliance with the law - at all times and under every circumstance - is not a matter of choice. Any member of the legal profession who conscientiously fails to heed not only to the letter, but the spirit of the law violates this basic tenet, whether or not he is regarded as forthright, reliable, eloquent or cunning in the discharge of his duties. This – in my opinion – is exactly what a veteran lawyer in Sierra Leone, opposition politician, Charles Margai, has done in the course of an apparent land dispute with Sia Koroma, wife of the country’s President.

Specifically, Mr. Margai, a seasoned and respected member of the bench, has engaged in conduct that completely disparages the rule of law, to wit, threatening to mobilize over a thousand kamajors, members of a now disbanded civil defense militia, he claims are at his disposal, to defend him and protect the property at the heart of the dispute with the First Lady should the need arise.

The kamajors were local hunters who banded together at the beginning of the civil war to protect defenseless villages and towns in the countryside that were being brutally attacked by the ruthless Revolutionary United Front (RUF) rebels and renegade soldiers of the government known as sobels. During the course of their efforts in that campaign, the group also engaged in conducts against perceived enemies as well as civilians deemed to be gross human rights violations. These included summary executions, making them as equally feared as the RUF. The group was disbanded following the end of the war in 2002.

Leaving aside the undeniable departure from the professional conduct and probity demanded of all legal practitioners, Mr. Margai’s statement is exceedingly reckless and inflammatory at best and liable to instigate violence at the worst. Given the known excesses of the kamajors during the civil war and the unspeakable brutality and horrors visited upon Sierra Leoneans by all sides to the conflict, it is difficult to imagine that Mr. Margai did not appreciate that his comments would cause nervousness in a war-scarred population still in the process of healing; nor can one fathom how an erudite lawyer such as Mr. Margai did not recognize such comments could undermine state security.

This article is not concerned with the question of who owns the disputed land. And while it is fair to ask questions about the involvement of the First Lady in this particular row, both Mr. Margai and Mrs. Koroma are citizens of Sierra Leone with equal rights under the law, including the right to own property.

According to Mr. Margai, as a consequence of the ongoing land dispute, he has lost confidence in the legal system to protect his right to the property he claims ownership to and to defend him, should that need arise. This he claims is the reason he may need to resort to the kamajors. However, Mr. Margai is himself an active member of the bar and frequently appears in courts of the law to represent clients. Such participation in the legal system would tend to suggest some level of faith in its efficacy and the dispensation of justice.

The justice that Mr. Margai seeks via the kamajor route clearly represents gross recklessness, anarchy and lawlessness, and is liable to enflame partisans. Indeed, it has resulted in equally untenable reactions from some who are opposed to Mr. Margai’s stance. In some quarters, it has generated arguments seeking to tie the main opposition party, the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) to Mr. Margai’s attitude and conduct. Of course, his position has nothing to do with the SLPP. After all, he is considered the kingmaker of the APC government, having virtually assured their victory in the 2007 elections by breaking away from the incumbent SLPP.   

Given the brutal nature of the civil war in Sierra Leone, there is little doubt Mr. Margai’s comments have brought back painful memories and caused uneasiness in the minds of those who survived the dark period of the 1990s.

If anything, Mr. Margai’s cavalier statement leads to the question: is there an organized kamajor presence still in the country? This is something the nation deserves to know.

Even with the obvious challenge of securing a judgment in his favor in a court of law, against the spouse of the President, there is no reason for a learned and senior lawyer to eschew the rule of law and resort to what amounts to “bush justice. Moreover, in an era of increasing globalization, there are also legitimate sources at one’s disposal to seek justice outside the one’s own country. Kamajor justice, unfortunately, is not one of them.

It is now up to the laws of the land to determine whether Mr. Margai’s utterances are punishable crimes. However, it was appropriate for the police to arrest and detain him because the authorities themselves would be grossly irresponsible if they had remained silent in the face of Margai’s statement. But the authorities also must ensure that the ongoing land dispute that gave rise to this episode is properly addressed, particularly given the involvement of the First Lady. This it must do in a transparent manner without interference or threat of punishment or reprisal. Accordingly, the rights of the true owner of the property in dispute must be protected by the court in its determination so that justice is done and seen to be done, especially because of the high visibility of the case.

Aroun Rashid Deen is a freelance journalist in New York.

This article is entirely the opinion of the writer. It does not represent the general view to this media.

Gambia: Another April 10th anniversary – still waiting for justice

(By D. A. Jawo)

As Gambians and people of conscience all over the world mark the 13th anniversary of the April 10 and 11 student demo which was brutally suppressed by the security forces, resulting in the deaths of more than 14 innocent Gambian children and the maiming of several more, the aggrieved relations and friends of those innocent young souls are still waiting for justice for their loved ones.

We can all recall those fateful two days in April 2000 when such brutality was unleashed on innocent Gambian children while their only crime was to insist on staging a peaceful demonstration in order to protest against certain grievances, including the alleged killing of one of their colleagues by the fire brigade personnel in Brikama.

Even though it is 13 years since that most dreadful event in the history of The Gambia, yet still, it seems as if it happened yesterday as it is still fresh in the minds of most Gambians, especially those who lost their loved ones and those who are still nursing the wounds of their offspring who had been abandoned to their fate. 

Certainly, the memories of those little souls who were brutally shot and killed in cold blood for merely coming out to exercise their most fundamental rights to peacefully match and show their grievances, will never fade away from the hearts and minds of those people of conscience who care about humanity and the crave for justice.

Therefore, the only way that such naked injustice against the innocent children and indeed the people of this country at large can be mitigated is for those who perpetrated the crime to be brought to justice and punished for their crime, which, unfortunately, this regime does not appear to ever intend to do.

We can all vividly recall the morning of 10 April 2000 when students in the Greater Banjul Area, under the leadership of the Gambia Students Union (GAMSU) decided to stage a peaceful demonstration against a host of grievances, including the alleged killing of their colleague, Ebrima Barry by personnel of the Brikama Fire Brigade as well as the alleged raping of a girl student by a member of the security forces. Despite giving enough notice to the security forces about their intention to hold a peaceful procession to vent out their grievances, the responsible authorities, no doubt out of their arrogance and intoxication with power, apparently ordered the security forces to prevent the march at whatever cost, including the use of live bullets, which eventually led to the deaths of the 14 young people and maiming for life of several of their colleagues.

Apart from the widespread condemnation of the unprovoked shooting to death of the innocent students in the Greater Banjul Area on the 10th April, the security forces still went ahead to repeat that same brutality the following day in Brikamaba and other parts of the country, shooting to death several more children. It is even alleged that some of those who escaped death were subjected to untold brutality in the hands of the security forces while under detention, resulting in some of them being maimed for the rest of their lives. 

However, despite the unanimity of the national and international condemnation of the brutality unleashed on the defenseless Gambian children by the security forces, resulting in the deaths of many and the maiming of some, the Gambian authorities have since been trying to wipe out that memory from the minds of the people of this country. Not only is any commemoration of the event totally forbidden, but the government has also done virtually nothing to assist the families who lost their loved ones or those children who were maimed. They are instead abandoned to their fate and their families are left with no choice but to continue to take care of them with the meagre resources at their disposal, and with no input from those who gave orders to the security forces to open fire with live bullets, and then went on the public media to tell big lies about it.

Therefore, instead of ensuring that justice was done in order to at least help ameliorate the psychological suffering of the affected families, the government decided to instead indemnify all those who were found culpable of unleashing such violence on innocent Gambian children. There is indeed enough indication that the authorities not only did not have any remorse about what happened, but that they would not hesitate to do it all over again against anyone who challenges their hegemony.

The regime did not only stop at indemnifying the perpetrators of the unprecedented violence against the children, but they also went ahead to launch a systematic programme to annihilate GAMSU by creating their own surrogate student body, the National Patriotic Students Association (NAPSA), using money and other incentives, and even coercion to entice students to become members of that puppet body, eventually making it the only legal student body in the country, enjoying unlimited financial and moral support from the authorities.

Therefore, through various overt and covert tactics, the authorities succeeded in transforming NAPSA into a formidable student union whose members were given all kinds of privileges and used them as proxies to control the activities of the students and ensure that they (students) not only will never again challenge the authority of the government, but they were also instead left with no alternative but to submit to the dictates of the NAPSA leadership who had been imposed on them by the authorities.

What have we seen since then is that most of the original leadership of NAPSA have been absorbed into privileged positions in the government, including some of them being nominated as Members of Parliament and several other prominent positions in the public services. This is apparently as compensation for their role in helping to pacify the students and make them not only forget the brutalities that were meted out to their colleagues a few years ago, but NAPSA was also effectively used to neutralize GAMSU and all other student bodies that had existed prior to the April demonstrations.

It is indeed hard for anyone to imagine that a government which makes so much noise about its concern for the welfare of its people would allow those who have committed such heinous crimes against the children of this country to not only continue to roam the streets with impunity, but for some of them to still continue to occupy important public offices and being paid from the public coffers.

There is however no doubt that most concerned Gambians are anxiously looking forward to the day when the names of all those innocent young children whose lives were cut short by bullets of our own security forces, will be engraved in gold in a fitting memorial to be erected in a prominent place in the Greater Banjul Area, and those found culpable for unleashing such brutality on them would finally be brought to book.

ENDS

Women’s Empowerment: Are We Holding Ourselves Back?

In Women’s Empowerment...Don’t Push Us Around, (February 2013); I focus on the ideology of patriarchy and its undesirable consequences on women’s rights and freedom. The practice of down-grading our being, is as old as the human race itself. There is no known time throughout the history of humankind during which women, in any community, experienced a life unfettered. That being said, women must take some responsibility – minimal as it may be - for the many entrenched and perennial problems that we face every breath of our existence.

This is not to blame any of us for our participation in the patriarchal-structured world, for there is no way we can live otherwise, but for what is clearly our lack of interest in fighting our own course.

How long can we continue to tread the snail pace, with all the tools at our disposal? For how long can we as women, allow erroneous and twisted societal norms to hinder our progress, and tradition to define our destiny? Many of us suffer in silence because we believe there is no way out of it. For some of us, the mere discussion of our feelings, our pains, our troubles, even with other women, is taboo in our own conscience. By allowing this to go on and on, we solidify the status quo and accept, as natural and as right, our place in the chain of doom. The only answer to all of this is a resounding No!

Some of us, women, are perpetrators of abusive actions against other women, though, not the kind of beastly behaviors common of some men abusers. Women abuse other women in so many ways. In the workplace for example, some women managers, without justifiable causes, victimize their junior female workers, causing them much trauma. Such abuses are no less painful. Some junior workers, on the other hand, show little respect for their female superiors just because they are women. How many times have we not heard a woman say she prefers a man to be the president or the manager, etc.? Abuses of women by other women, take place everywhere: in college campuses, in gatherings and even within our localities, causing emotional pains on their victims. We must ensure we stand up against such behaviours.  

Our role in every aspect of nation-building and sustainable growth is no less important as men’s. Our role in every history has been nothing less than success, and we should not relent any longer to help improve conditions from the local to the global.

Society’s mindset of womanhood is skewed. We must work towards changing that prejudicial perception. The first step is ciphering our self-worth, our values and how we can use those qualities to enhance our communities and the world at large. We must know it is our right to be heard at all times, and to express freely, our feelings, our needs, and our opinions whenever we choose to do so. The responsibility is ours, and we must be ready to make the necessary change; to come out of the cocoon in which we have been trapped just because we are who we are, women. We must step out of the shadows and say to the world, ‘this is me!’

As human beings, we have what it takes to define the real ‘us’; that vision and resourcefulness that drive our mere humanity. Every woman has to have a vision of self, a vision of who she actually is; the vision to un-tap her God-given strength and ability.

We must be determined. We must persevere and believe in ourselves, that is; our skills and values. All of this should empower us to step out of our comfort zones and break down those walls of uncertainty and fear, of doubt, inhibition and self-pity. We need to be futuristic-oriented and to try to develop definite ideas of a preferred destination and a strong desire to communicate and portray ourselves as equal to our compatriots of the other sex.

A number of studies have negatively portrayed us as the so-called weaker sex, mainly so because of the way we express ourselves emotionally. It’s all part of society’s skewed thinking of who we actually are. Scientific studies, on the other hands, have proven that one of the differences of the male and female sexes, by way of emotional responses, is nothing other than biological. That does not qualify or disqualify us as inferior to men in anyway. It only tells us that we as women react differently and that should not hinder our progress and our will to join the mainstream.

Much progress has been made since the signing of the United Nations Women's Treaty. We, women, however, need to do more to meet the Millennium Development Goal, which promotes gender equality and women’s empowerment.

My personal experience as a married woman and of the Muslim faith, a faith observed in my family circle with some level of orthodoxy, has been one of a holdback for years. I gave 30 years to marriage, nurturing a home and trying to be the ‘perfect wife,’ as demanded by culture and tradition. But there has always been the burning desire in me to listen to my inner voice, a desire that urges me to make a difference and reach out to our womenfolk. The problem, though, was that I first had to make a change in my own life if I should reach out to others. However, discussing my feelings with my family was met with strong opposition. There was the constant reiteration that ''women should be seen and not heard.'' I was determined to break the taboo. My reaction has always been a composed, non-aggressive but assertive and determined voice of No.

My urge has always yearned to feel fulfilled, productive and alive. That was a big step forward, but I was determined, and I was able to tear down the walls of co-dependency and relationship addiction. I stepped into a future of growth and personal transformation. I decided to turn my attention inward and listen to my heart and go for what I believe in, express myself and be heard! Culture and traditional taboos are transformed into ‘Me' and 'Now.’                                            

Millions of women are suffering in silence, holding back in fear of making that first step and in fear of being judged by their families and communities. Why remain silent and continue to endure that which will lead to more pains, anger, frustration, resentment and eventually depression? Such feelings can overshadow our mortality, our career and our personal relationships too. Empowering ourselves as women is our basic right. It is a God-given right. No one, not even ourselves, should take that away from us.

We should increase our capabilities to make purposeful choices and transform those choices into beneficial outcomes. But whatever move we make should be done within the context of the love that defines our relationship with our family, our loved-ones and our homes.

Cultivating a positive attitude goes a long way in empowering ourselves. It starts from within. It should start by telling that negative voice within, 'I can,’ and ‘I will.’ But we must break free and make the necessary sacrifices that most men make. We must step into the social structure that our menfolk have dominated for too long. We must develop and cultivate the appetite to be who we are. We need to push for opportunities and volunteer for the hard assignments that come with empowerment. We have to balance that commitment with our home responsibilities and bridge the gender-gap.

Every government that is serious about development has an answer: Involvement of the women component. We as women must push to sit on the other side of the boat to row the paddle of government, of unity and of sustainable growth. It’s time we stop blaming ourselves for the shortcomings of society. It’s time we take the lead. I am confident if we do, our men will come along.

For the first time this year, Sierra Leone observed International Women's Day by declaring it a public holiday. That says a lot. Women are being urged into the public domain and being accepted and called on. Can we afford to lose the opportunity? Do we want to continue to hold ourselves back?

Chadia Talib is a writer, women’s right advocate and entrepreneur. She lives in Bo, southern Sierra Leone.

Sierra Leone: Celebrating Democracy

(Chadia Talib)

As Sierra Leone prepares for the Presidential Inauguration on Friday, February 22nd, the final process that puts in motion the Ernest Koroma Administration, following the elections of November 17, 2012, there have been criticisms in some quarters, questioning the essentiality of the inauguration process. Much of the criticism is based on what the cynics claim is going to be unnecessary spending on the part of the government to host the event. Such criticisms do not have merits and must be stopped.

Inauguration of an elected President is a conventional practice. It is a significant function of modern democracy everywhere. It goes back to the first ever inauguration of a democracy, that of the first President of the United States, George Washington.

After a long and bitter campaign period, the inauguration, provides the elected President, being the father of the nation, an opportunity to reunite all again, as one country.

President Earnest Koroma

During the inauguration Sierra Leone will be ushering in another five years of the Ernest Koroma Government. It will be another moment for the entire country to celebrate the administration’s victory and plans for the future with a President, who appears determined to serve the nation and to take the lead to solidify the democracy that the entire country craves.

As he promised, President Ernest Koroma is resolute to exert policies for the kind of transformations that would see the country overcome hardships and achieve the impossible, as he leads the nation forward in the next five year.

Sierra Leone will, on Friday, celebrate the declaration of its belief in the freedom and rights of all people. It will bring together leaders, both from within and abroad, who would interact with people from all walks of life, be they cleaners or messengers, teachers or media practitioners. For some, it is going to be a rare moment to experience history in the making, and sense the collective strength and soundness of the foundation on which the nation, and its hard-won and cherished democracy is built.

For critical minds regarding the importance of the inauguration, it should be known that the process also propels optimism, and an unflinching will, to continue in the transformation from what was the Agenda for Change to what is now the Agenda for Prosperity. It is important because it will provide an opportunity to showcase the strength and importance of the institutions of society that have been put in place within the past years, and the new pathway to the future. The inauguration gives the entire nation an opportunity to listen to the President as he explains, publicly, in details, his visions and future plans for the country as a whole and outline what he wants his legacy to be.

There are those inaugural addresses that will forever be remembered. President Barack Obama's first inaugural address was one of the most memorable in the history of the United States because of its historic significance; the first American of African ancestry was becoming President of the United States. Another was President Franklin Roosevelt’s, also of the United States in 1933 when he inherited a nation in the midst of a woeful economic crisis, confronted by rising fascism and communism in Europe, and some skepticisms at home about the future of capitalism and representative democracy. Roosevelt reassured his countrymen and women that the nation will forever endure. In May, 1994, South Africa’s first democratic elected President, Nelson Mandela, in his inauguration, called for a united country when he said: “The South Africa we have struggled for, in which all our people, be they African, Colored, Indian or White, regard themselves as citizens of one nation is at hand.“

As were with Presidents Roosevelt’s, Obama’s and Mandela’s, President Ernest Koroma’s Inaugural Address is going to leave an indelible imprint in the political history of the country. He is going to stand front and centre with his policy of audaciousness, defined by courage, boldness, honesty, enthusiasm and the determination to succeed, an undertaken never before seen in Africa, the crusade that is the Agenda for Prosperity. Undoubtedly, the address will be dominated by what he has in stock as the Agenda for Prosperity.

It would be disingenuous for anyone to deny that significant changes have taken place in the country during the past five years under the Agenda for Change; from agriculture to infrastructure to private investments, health care, energy, as well as the enhancing of the mineral and marine sectors and improvements on education and the general wellbeing of the ordinary Sierra Leonean. Also there have been transformations in the armed and police forces, bringing those two institutions to standards. Local councils have seen huge flows of funds from the central government, for the implementation of sound projects. Women are now taking leadership roles in every sector of society and youth participation has been a record high in development programmes throughout the country.

In the information and communication sector, the media, in particular, is allowed to practice freely without fear of government’s interference. The human rights records of the government have been impeccable, realizing that the observance of human rights is fundamental if democracy is to flourish.

One of the most important sectors that have demonstrated the Agenda for Change a success is the National Revenue Authority. With its remarkable performance in revenue collections, the NRA stands as an important lever that smoothly steers the machinery of government in an effective way. As democratic measures introduced in the country since 2007, are gradually paying off, there is now reason for celebration and for welcoming the second chapter of the Koroma Administration.    

The inauguration of an elected President is significant, particularly so for a budding democracy like Sierra Leone that is rebuilding from the ashes of a long war - which requires such moments of coming together again.

The inauguration will symbolise a rare moment as the entire country stand together with the newly elected President notwithstanding political differences, because it expounds the unity and strength of Sierra Leone’s democracy by way of smooth transfer of power.     

This week’s event will put in motion the new challenge of the day, Agenda for Prosperity, as the First Gentleman of the nation, takes an oath to fight corruption and weed out the ills of society, among other things. The inauguration is about celebrating the country’s hard-earned Democracy, which Sierra Leoneans well deserved. Let the skeptics understand!

Chadia Talib is a writer, women’s right advocate and entrepreneur. She lives in Bo, southern Sierra Leone.

Sierra Leone: Women’s Empowerment... “Don’t Push Us Around”

Women in Sierra Leone are stepping on center stage in a steady but slow pace to play their part as equal partners in national development. That movement, precedes roles by leaders the likes of educationist Dr. Talabi Lucan; Chief Justice, Hawa  Tejan-Jalloh; Chief Electoral Commissioner, Dr. Christiana Thorpe; university professor and former Vice Presidential candidate, Dr. Kadi Sesay and women’s right advocate, Nemata Majeks-Walker, to mention a few. But women are far from accomplishing their target for equality. More has to be done to pave the path. Women lag far behind men in decision making institutions, employments and access to education. This trend must change fast.

Throughout history, women have been relegated to the roles of ‘mothers’ and ‘wives,’ with duties that revolve within the confines of home-related chores: cleaning, cooking, babysitting and rocking the cradle. But that was then. Times have changed. This is the 21st century. Politics, education, employment or any other human endeavours are not exclusively for men, or for them to dominate. Even though women account for more than half the country’s population, they only account for a trifling 15 percent in the political arena at both national and local levels.
The idea of ‘being seen and not heard,’ no longer holds. The ideology of patriarchy, structured as a means to dominate and oppress particularly womanhood through so-called norms of society, have no place in society anymore. The meaning of patriarchy was ill-conceived as a tool to determine what shall or shall not be women’s role in society. Such ancient-inherited mentality is what is responsible for the state of affairs of women all over the world. It structures society as we know it today. As such, blames for the state of affairs should not be levied on governments alone. But governments have the biggest stakes in seeing women through.
The claws of patriarchy have gone rusty beyond repairs, and women are now saying a big ‘No’ to male dominance, and ‘Empowerment Now!’ But women themselves must do more. Much has been done over the decades for women to now realize that they ought to be regarded as equal partners in every sphere of life. The future depends on their display of courage and determination. More women, particularly the young, should get into party politics, starting by being active in their local communities as volunteers, organizers, leaders, councillors, educators, etc., and strengthening their advocacy and engaging in all civic activities.
That women are now occupying leadership roles in politics and other areas, should serve as stepping stone for their advancement. Those in other walks of life must also push for more women involvement and empowerment. In doing so, women would be recognised and appreciated, not just by their male counterparts, but by society at large.
Sierra Leone, like every other country has a responsibility to meet the challenges of the Millennium Development Goals. Whether those goals could be achieved sooner or later is another question. The fact remains, however, that there is no way it will be, without the full and unhindered participation of women. In that regard, education of more women and girls is of vital importance.
Education builds confidence and the will power to forge ahead. Education is power. It gives people the ability to make informed choices. It helps in a significant way to halt abuses of women such as their being regarded as sex tools. Now is the time for women to grab the moment.
Leading women all over the world have cracked open and cruised through the iron gates of oppressions to take the lead. Examples of such women are Sierra Leone’s UN Under Secretary General on Sexual Violence, Zainab Bangura; Prime Ministers: Indira Ghandi of India, Golda Meir of Israel and Margaret Thatcher of the UK; Sierra Leone’s first female political figure, Ella Koblo Gulama; Presidents Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf of Liberia and Malawi’s Joyce Banda, and Russian cosmonaut, Valentina Tereshkov, the first woman ever in space, and a host of other women revolutionaries.
These women fought doggedly to free themselves from the chain of oppression to take the world by storm. And for the women in Sierra Leone and women everywhere, there should be no holding back. It was with that spirit of determination that America’s lighting rods, slavery abolitionist and pioneer of the Underground Railroad, Harriet Tubman and Rosa Parks, known as the first lady of civil rights and the mother of the freedom movement, changed the course of mankind, a time when suppression of minorities let alone women, was law.
Sierra Leone has made great strides in accepting women in governance. Also, women now head some of the leading institutions in the country and making positive decisions in the President Ernest Koroma's Government. But women deserve more. We want to see women coming out from behind those closed doors and exercising their God-given prowess.
If women can take the lead in raising Presidents, judges, ministers, scientists, lawyers, teachers, journalists, among other career persons, then there is nothing they couldn’t do. Women have been proving their mettle since the advent of the human race.
More women should be allowed to take their places - shoulder to shoulder - alongside their men counterparts. Society can’t push them around anymore.

Chadia Talib is a writer, women’s right advocate and entrepreneur. She lives in Bo, southern Sierra Leone.