By Septimus Senessie in Kono
35 women drawn from the 14-chiefdoms of Kono District have undergone a three-day intensive training exercise on the Security Sector Reform (SSR) process at the Kono District Council conference hall, Koidu Town.
The project is implemented by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) through the Ministry of Social Welfare, Gender and Children’s Affairs with funds from the Geneva Center-Democratic Control of Armed Forces (DCAF). The training is meant to help capacitate grass-root women on their roles and responsibilities in securing themselves and their communities.
Addressing participants during the opening ceremony, the National Project Coordinator of IOM, Mangeh Sesay said that the training was meant to “mainstream gender and security of community women across the country”, adding that similar trainings programmes would be carried out in all 12 districts of the country.
He described the role of women in the security sector as important, noting that during the 11-year civil war, women were prone to more violence than the men. He said their role should be considered highly in the security of their communities and the country generally.
Sesay said that the insecurity of a state was not only limited to shooting and killing of people, but also included perennial issues such as teenage pregnancy, hunger, sexual violence against women and girls, massive unemployment among youths and discrimination against women among others. He said when such issues were not addressed, they could serve as a recipe for national instability. He said most of the laws in the country were discriminating against women, adding that most of those laws would be looked into during the security sector reform process in the country.
The chief of staff of the Office of National Security (ONS), Ahmed Sannoh used the forum to explain to the participants the role of ONS in the consolidation of state security. He said their roles ranged from the provision of advice to the president on matters of state security, to ensuring collaboration and coordination among the various security sectors in the country for a water-tight security of the country. He described the role of women in the security sector as vital to national security and encouraged them to demonstrate more interest in maintaining their own security and that of the state.
The Deputy Chief Social Services Officer at the Ministry of Social Welfare, Gender and Children’s Affairs, Joseph Sunday Sinnah praised women’s role in the security sector adding that with women, information was quick to be disseminated within the communities.
The formation of the Rural Women’s Security Committee chaired by Councilor Mariama Bayoh of Ward 65 climaxed the training.
