By Gibao Brima

Women in Crisis Movement (WICM) has ended a one-day sensitization for community and stakeholders on issues of sexual and gender based violence HIV/AIDS, early marriage and the intake of the kush drugs.

Under the dynamic leadership of Rev. Mrs. Juliana Konteh, WICM, a national non-governmental organization, with support from Global Fund ended a community awareness raising.

The programme was done at the Zion Hall, Shell Old Road, in Freetown on 20th March, 2024.

In her address, Rev. Mrs Juliana Konteh underscored that the project: New Funding Model 3 Grant Life Span will fold up at end of July 2024.

She called on all participants to pray for the project success and for a knowledge on ways to tackling sexual gender based violence, HIV/AIDS and drugs and Kush smoking.

Kush, if not addressed, she said, will destroy the youthful population in the country.

“We are all coming  from different communities therefore if all hands are put on deck and we all agree to have SGBV, HIV and Kush be minimized that will be possible.”

“Do not say it is not my business, all these children are Sierra Leonean children,” she added.

If they become outlawed, she went on, it would affect our societies and communities.

“Therefore help us to cascade the message to your different communities, and do not put the information under the carpets,” she pleaded

She advised for the training to be taken seriously in a bid to help develop Sierra Leone.

“We have no other country,” she said.

Mr. Magnus Biah, a board member from WICM, admonished the participants to add value on them especially the women.

“You can’t buy respect you have to fight for it.”

He called on all participants to listen attentively so that they would be able to cascade the message to others in their various communities.

In his teaching, relying on a survey with the age bracket  15-45 years, Mr. Ahmed Bangura, the field officer at WICM said the prevalence rate for HIV accounts for 17% nationwide according to survey and the age bracket is 15-45 years.

He said women are more vulnerable to HIV, adding that HIV is more prevalence in Freetown’s urban and rural district, and in Bo, Kenema, Makeni  and all mining and fishing communities.

Dilating further Mr. Bangura said HIV is more prevalence among female sex workers, men sex men(MSM).

The training targets people who inject drugs (PWID) into other people’s body and those who are in jail.

Inspector Michael Gbenteh from Family Support Unit of the Sierra Leone Police gave a detail lecture on SGBV.

He said lots of violence are taking places in our homes, institutions, adding that violence is any act done by a person to another person that will make him or her unhappy.

Adding that violence can either be physical, emotional, psychological, financial, verbal and among others.

“Problems always occur when we fail to take up our gender roles resulting to SGBVs.”

He admonished men to always be polite to their partners, adding that it is a criminal offence to beat, harass and neglect the welfare of one’s family.

On that note Inspector Michael Gbenteh further said women are vulnerable.

And so, in 2009, the Devolution of Estate Act has been endorsed by parliament which has helped to protect women and their children greatly.

Dilating further Inspector Michael Gbenteh said it is a crime to provoke HIV patients and by law defaulters of these crimes will be subjected to jail and be fined.

He therefore admonished all participants not to stigmatise HIV victims, but always try to encourage them to go for medical services.

Participants from various communities made various resolutions for action to be taken by government towards the fight against Kush which include: community sensitization and this should not stop but should continue.

Government should enforce the laws on all drugs abuse. Youths groups should work with the police, and tough jail terms for importers on drugs should be in place.

Vigorous raiding on kush smoking and selling must continue.