OFP Holds Consultative Conference on the Rights of Women & Girls with Disability
2 December 2021
In commemorating this year’s 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence on the theme: “Orange the World: End Violence Against Women Now!” which is an annual international campaign, One Family People in collaboration with the United Nations Population Funds (UNFPA) with support from Liliane Fonds, on Thursday 2nd December, 2021 held a one day consultative conference on the Rights of Women and Girls living with disabilities. The event was held at the United Nations Population Fund Office on New Signal Hill Road, Off Congo Cross in Freetown.
Giving an overview of the event, the Director of Operations at One Family People, Hadiatou Diallo stated that every year, One Family People observes the 16 Days of Activism differently. This year OFP joins UNFPA and the Dutch Liliane Fonds to observe the 16 days with series of activities, ranging from radio, TV and community engagements in schools and communities and a consultative conference.
According to the UN data and the 2019 SLDHS "one in three women experience physical or sexual violence in their life time and in Sierra Leone, an estimated 62 per cent of women age 15–49 have experienced physical or sexual violence." Mrs Diallo said, adding that this is unacceptable and reminded all the need to redouble their efforts.
Hadiatou Diallo affirmed that gender based violence (GBV) against women and girls with disabilities is a significant issue that is related to gender and disability-based discrimination and exclusion, adding that these two factors combined result in an extremely high risk of violence against women and girls with disabilities. "Despite this high risk, there is a lack of information regarding the experiences of abuse, and barriers to seek and get help among women and girls with disabilities", she said.
The Director of Operations pointed out that the conference seeks therefore to highlight the experiences of women and girls with disabilities to GBV, map out services offered to survivors with disabilities, analyze major gaps and challenges related to services delivery and identify the roles and responsibilities of stakeholders and service providers towards ending gender based violence against women and girls especially those living with disabilities.
In her statement, the Gender Specialist at United Nations Population Funds, Betty Alpha, thanked One Family People for their continuous strides towards the development of persons living with disabilities across the country."2021 marks the 30 years anniversary of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence which runs from the 25thNovember, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women to the 10 December which is Human Rights Day". Mrs Alpha explained. She uncovered that UNFPA Global conducted a research where it was revealed that during the COVID-19 pandemic there has been an upsurge in gender-based violence especially during lockdowns. "In commemorating this year’s 16 days of activism UNFPA is focusing now on online violence because it is becoming more apparent that young girls are been abused on social media" Mrs Alpha declared. She concluded by saying UNFPA works on three transformative goals which includes zero preventable maternal death, zero gender-based violence and harmful practices and zero unmet need for family planning. She reiterated their commitment towards supporting Government and other organizations that relate to their mandate.
On his part, the Line Manager at FSU-CID Headquarters, Inspector Foday Conteh, said that the Family Support Unit was established over twenty (20) years ago with the mandate to prevent and respond to the growing incident of Gender-Based Violence in the country during and after the aftermath of the civil war. "Initially the FSU started as a pilot phase at Kissy Police Station. Presently the FSU has the broader mandate to investigate all incidents of sexual and gender based violence across the country especially incidences that have to do with children caught in conflict and in foul with the law", he reported. The Line Manager noted that in achieving their mandate, the Unit collaborates with both international and local organizations and he is very happy for the moves taken by One Family People in holding a consultative conference on the Rights of Women and Girls living with disabilities, which he described as a move in the right direction in ending gender based violence against women and girls especially those living with disabilities in the Country.
Delivering a statement on behalf of the Minister of Social Welfare, the Assistant Director of Planning, Ms. Fatmata E.R Ansumana, stated how it is very crucial and timely for all to embark on robust advocacy strategies for the Rights of disabled women and girls to be strengthened by publicly committing people at all sectors. Ms. Fatmata E.R Ansumana stated that “Nothing about us without us” is more than a slogan in the disability community and she called for the inclusion of qualified people with disabilities in leadership positions. She concluded by stating that in the fight of advocating for the rights of disabled women and girls it is high time they try to collaborate, coordinate their interventions for the general good of all for which she commended One Family People for always moving in that direction.
Through the focus group discussion which climaxed the event, participants were required to highlight their experiences of abuse, map out services offered to survivors with disabilities, identify the roles and responsibilities of stakeholders and service providers in view to help guide a collective path forward.
