Increasing Report on Sexual and Gender based violence: A positive or negetive reflection of our collective effort
There have been increasing reports of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) lately. Hardly a day passes by without reading or hearing about alleged sexual and gender-based violence, including rape, sexual penetration and battery. There have even been some chilling reports of children as young as four being sexually abused. It is hard to put a finger on why reports of SGBV incident rising, in spite of the several efforts, including state and non-state interventions, to combat the scourge across the country.
Since 2007, a number of laws have been passed aimed at enhancing and protecting the rights of women and girls in Sierra Leone. Some of the laws include the three gender laws of 2007, which seek to protect the rights of Sierra Leonean women, combat discrimination against women, and ultimately enhance their socio-political status. The Child Rights Act, which seeks to promote the rights of children consistent with the Convention on the Rights of the Child, was also passed in 2007. Also in 2012, the Sexual Offences Act was promulgated with the view to providing increased protection for women against sexual violence as well as advance accountability for perpetrators.
To help roll out these laws, the Ministry of Social Welfare Gender and Children’s Affairs has also produced a number of blueprints for the implementation of the laws. Additionally, the Sierra Leone Government has established the Family Support Unit (FSU) to help provide the required response to domestic violence, including rape, wife battery and maintenance issues. In spite of these efforts, there are still grave concerns about the serious risks women face across all levels.
The flurry of media reports about sexual and gender-based violence, which recently prompted a protest march by some female journalists and human rights groups, can be viewed in one of two ways: either victims of rape and other forms of sexual and gender-based violence are now more willing than before to file complaints, or the reports reflect an increasing spate of sexual penetration and other sexual gender-based violence within the country.
In 2011, for example, there were 1,596 cases of sexual and gender-based violence cases reported in the Western Area; 1,273 in the Southern Province, and 967 in Bombali District, according to statistics compiled by the Family Support Unit. In 2012, there was a reported increase in incidents of sexual and gender-based violence in most parts of the country. The number of reported incidents in the Western Area amounted to 3,182; it was 1,253, in the Southern Province; 1,660 in the north, and 1,115 in the east. Although the official figures for 2013 have not been released, anecdotal reports suggest that SBBV-related incidents for 2013 will exceed the reported figures for 2011 and 2012.
While speaking at the commemoration of the Day of the African Child 2013, the Director of Children’s Affairs at the Ministry of Social Welfare said her Department had received over 100 complaints relating to sexual and gender-related cases for the month of May 2013 alone. During the strategic launch of the roll out plan for the implementation of the Sexual Offences Act organized by Campaign for Good Governance, Principal State Counsel, Monfred Sesay, said the Law Officers Department had received over 1,000 (one thousand) files relating to sexual and gender-related cases for advice on how to proffer charges.
These reports do not seem to reflect positively on the efforts of state and non-state actors to combat or reduce incidents of SGBV. If, however, the increase in complaints is as a result of the efforts by all to get victims to come out and file complaints, then it shows that those efforts are yielding positive dividends. If, on the other hand, it is a reflection of the fact that incidents of sexual and gender-based violence are on the increase, then it means that some additional efforts are required. This means that every stakeholder, including the government and NGOs, needs to sit up straight and rethink our strategies.
Some things need to happen right away:
First, the government needs to increase its funding to support gender-related initiatives. Contrariwise, only less than a percent of the 2013 national budget was allocated to the Ministry of Social Welfare, Gender and Children’s Affairs. This, unfortunately, does not match up with the government’s publicly stated commitment to promoting the right of women and girls. A lot more funding is required to make sure girls are kept in school, social amenities are provided in schools, and women and girls have access to family planning and procedures.
There is also massive need to increase the number of (FSU) posts across the country, because so many violations still go unreported and unpunished. The Government needs to take the lead by not only sending the right message, but to also back up its messages with real actions, including adequate funding and training of personnel of the support services.
There is also need for Government and civil society to foster more collaborative action in order to address this problem.
Law enforcement officers have to play a key role as well. There is also need to invest in the judiciary, ensuring that there are many more Magistrates and Judges to cover the entire country. The fact that the judiciary is still running in a circuit system does not help in promoting accountability for victims of sexual and gender-based violence. Victims may feel that they are being deprived of justice, if they cannot get access to the courts when they need the services the most. Witness and victim protection mechanisms are also weak.
Sexual and gender-based violence is a national issue, and if half of our girls are not going to school or are dropping out of school because of sexual penetration and other related abuses, it could have serious implications for efforts at empowering women. The state can prevent the crisis by making sure that law enforcement officers and the justice institutions are bolstered, public information services are equipped, and additional support is provided to the Ministry of Social Welfare Gender and Children’s Affairs.
It is time to end the talking! It is time to back our words with action. The President has continuously repeated his government’s commitment to promoting the rights of women and creating a space that gives equal opportunities to girls and boys. What is needed is a strategic approach that includes scaling up funding to the Social Welfare Ministry as well as the institutions that protect the rights of boys and girls.