After months of debate, Sierra Leone's President Julius Maada Bio approved the Women's Empowerment Bill. The law should soon be voted on.
In Sierra Leone, it will no doubt be interesting to see opponents of President Julius Maada Bio criticize the gender equality law finally submitted to parliament for debate. Indeed, the Sierra Leonean president approved the bill proposed by his Minister for Children, Manty Tarawalli. This law has been at the center of political debates in Sierra Leone since 2013.
Indeed, the predecessor of Maada Bio, Ernest Bai Koroma, had refused the results of the United Nations inquiry into the status of women in 2013. President Koroma and his party the APC strongly opposed any reform giving to women. women more rights. However, the current ruling party, the SLPP, has promoted several women to senior positions. Among these women, Minister Manti Tarawalli. However, gender parity had stalled until opposition leader Kandeh Yumkella of the NGC coalition charged Maada Bio on the matter.
At the end of two weeks, it was the administration of the president who decided to take the opposition from the rear, by proposing a law on gender equality.
Today, cabinet under the leadership @PresidentBio approved the Gender Empowerment Bill 2021 to allow for 30% female elected and appointed positions including access to finance for women, subject to Parliamentary approval. #Tok&Do#GenderEquality
- ministermanty (@MinisterManty) July 21, 2021
A step forward desired by international partners
Minister Tarawalli said: “As a woman and responsible minister, I am delighted. I am proud that His Excellency and my colleagues in the government supported this historic bill ”. She added that the bill would be published immediately. It will also be placed on the agenda for parliamentary sittings after the recess.
Among the provisions of the bill, some are truly revolutionary in the context of Sierra Leone. For example, this text contains an article which provides for reserving 30% of parliamentary seats, administrative positions and government positions for women. In addition, there is a provision for a percentage of public financing of SMEs reserved for enterprises headed by women. Finally, an article provides for a matrimonial regime of separation of property more favorable to Sierra Leonean women.
These reforms, and others foreseen by the bill, are also expected to have a huge impact on Sierra Leone's diplomacy. Indeed, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) pressured Sierra Leone for years on this topic. USAID deplored women's restricted access to positions of power and the impunity of domestic violence, among others, and blamed the Sierra Leonean government for these problems. For this reason, the country has missed several American and Western funding opportunities.
This law would also help solve the unemployment crisis which affects women more than men, according to government statistics. Until now, employers have been reluctant to employ women in order to avoid maternity leave. In addition, the harmonization of the age of marriage and the criminalization of female genital mutilation are also provided for in the bill.
This week we join world leaders & others at the Generation Equality Forum in Paris to push forward on gender equality. Despite Sierra Leone pledging to end violence against women and girls there's has been no push to end female genital mutilation.#ActForEqual #GenerationEquality pic.twitter.com/FyXNgn9i31
- # AGirlAtATime🤰🏽 (@agirlatatime) June 27, 2021