PRESS RELEASES UNIOSIL Wants Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Projects in Sierra Leone Posted by on Mar 6, 2008, 02:10

On 8 March UNIOSIL joins the world-wide commemoration of the International Women’s Day (IWD). The theme for IWD 2008 is “Investing in Women and Girls”, which sends a clear message to Member States to honour their commitments towards gender equality and women’s empowerment. This year’s international theme is based on the alarming level of under-expenditure on women’s empowerment programmes.  More investment in women and girls has a multiplier effect on the productivity, efficiency and sustained economic growth.

In Sierra Leone the 2008 International Women’s Day Celebration Steering Committee has applied a national theme which translates Sierra Leonean women and girls demands, namely “Shaping Progress – Implementing Imperative Truth and Reconciliation Recommendations on Women and the Gender Acts”. This theme underscores the priority which the Sierra Leonean women accord to their political, social, economic and financial empowerment.

UNIOSIL takes this opportunity to appeal to the Sierra Leone Government to take measures aimed at endorsing the “At least 30% Quota System”, which will facilitate the direct participation of women in decision making.  

The United Nations Integrated Office in Sierra Leone calls on all international and national stakeholders to gear more resources towards programmes targeting gender equality and women’s empowerment projects in Sierra  Leone