GFW | Newsletter | August 2003 | Rebuilding Lives, Reclaiming Rights

By Adaora Ikenze, Program Officer for Africa

In March 2003, I traveled to Sierra Leone to learn how women's groups are protecting and reclaiming women's rights after a decade-long civil war. The war claimed hundreds of thousands of civilian lives. Opposition forces amputated the hands, arms and legs of thousands of people in a calculated strategy to disable and terrify the populace. Many women who escaped being killed or wounded were raped, tortured and forced to become the sexual slaves of rebel fighters. In this atmosphere of extreme terror, women's rights suffered a terrible setback.

Together with the Urgent Action Fund (an organization that provides emergency grants to support and protect women's rights globally), I hosted an extended discussion with 18 representatives of women's groups from all over the country. I learned that 98 percent of Sierra Leone's women undergo Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), a deeply entrenched practice that has almost no cultural or official opposition.

I spoke with groups such as the Federation of African Women Educationalists (FAWE), a long-time Global Fund grantee, who described their efforts to provide rudimentary literacy and income-generating skills to young girls who had been abducted or otherwise displaced from their villages during the conflict.

While many of the women declared their desire that there be public accountability for crimes committed during the conflict, they expressed fear and doubt in the protective ability of local and state authorities. Yet despite their fear of recrimination, these women are working closely with the staff of the National Truth and Reconciliation Commission to ensure public and official recognition of the brutalities suffered by women and children.

In the small village of Tombo, I met members of the Sierra Leone Market Women's Association (SLMWA), another Global Fund grantee, who expressed renewed hope for the future as a result of their involvement in this group. Through SLMWA programs the women have learned to read and write, and have received immeasurable support from this community of women, which has enabled them to rebuild lives and businesses shattered by the conflict. They have also developed increasing awareness and confidence in their rights under national laws and their rights to personal integrity within the family. While the women expressed relief that the war was over, they also acknowledged the fragility of peace—such fragility was made especially clear when a national alert was called after a key rebel leader escaped custody and all trips outside the capital were cancelled.

My trip ended on an inspiring note, with an unexpected visit from nine women under the age of 20. They had heard a representative of the Global Fund for Women was visiting. "We want to show you the future of women's rights in Sierra Leone," they said. With passion and impressive clarity, they expressed their desires to connect with other young women on the African continent and around the world, and to share experiences about being young, female and aware of one's rights.

The women of Sierra Leone are representative of much of African womanhood—courageous, resilient, generous and versatile. While a vicious civil war has fractured the foundations of cultural and official governance, they are determined to demand and anchor within their culture an abiding respect for women's rights.

Forum for African Women Educationalists
Sierra Leone Chapter
Christina Thorpe, Chairperson
PMB 273
Freetown
Sierra Leone
Phone: 232 22 2270/6/225844
Fax: 232 22 227763
Email: fawe-sl@sierratel.sl

Sierra Leone Market Women's Association
Marie Bangura, Secretary
P.O. Box 1437
c/o Campaign for Good Governance
11 Old Railway Line. Tengbeh Town
Freetown
Sierra Leone
Phone: 232 22 22523/ 232 22 228454
Fax: 232 22 228896/ 232 22 224439
Email: cgg@sierratel.sl
Web site: www.slcgg.org

Sierra Leone Young Women's Christian Association

The author would especially like to thank the Sierra Leone Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA) who graciously and miraculously smoothed out all the logistical challenges of travelling for six days in a war-torn country without a working telephone system.

Founded in 1915 as the only space exclusively for young girls to meet to share experiences and gain skills, the YWCA is the oldest surviving women's organization in Sierra Leone. A Global Fund grantee as of July 2003, the group is impressive in its support for and collaboration with women's groups, human rights activists and official bodies throughout the country.

Young Women's Christian Association
Florella Hazeley, President
P.O.Box 511
Freetown
Sierra Leone
Phone: 232 22 240383, 241465
Fax: 232 22 224439
Email: ywcasaleone@yahoo.com

	NEWS FROM THE GLOBAL FUND FOR WOMEN	AUGUST 2003

Indigenous Rights Indigenous Women Forge Global Connections to Uproot Racism and Discrimination Producing Chocolate and Change Women Unite to Preserve Indigenous Culture First Domestic Violence Shelter Established in Northeast Russia Twa Women Cultivate Healthy Communities in Post-War Rwanda Letter from the President Rebuilding Lives, Reclaiming Rights Weaving Connections Among International Women's Funds Resources Donor's Perspective Thank You! Events Calendar Masthead Global Fund Home Newsletter Home	By Adaora Ikenze, Program Officer for Africa In March 2003, I traveled to Sierra Leone to learn how women's groups are protecting and reclaiming women's rights after a decade-long civil war. The war claimed hundreds of thousands of civilian lives. Opposition forces amputated the hands, arms and legs of thousands of people in a calculated strategy to disable and terrify the populace. Many women who escaped being killed or wounded were raped, tortured and forced to become the sexual slaves of rebel fighters. In this atmosphere of extreme terror, women's rights suffered a terrible setback. Together with the Urgent Action Fund (an organization that provides emergency grants to support and protect women's rights globally), I hosted an extended discussion with 18 representatives of women's groups from all over the country. I learned that 98 percent of Sierra Leone's women undergo Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), a deeply entrenched practice that has almost no cultural or official opposition. I spoke with groups such as the Federation of African Women Educationalists (FAWE), a long-time Global Fund grantee, who described their efforts to provide rudimentary literacy and income-generating skills to young girls who had been abducted or otherwise displaced from their villages during the conflict. While many of the women declared their desire that there be public accountability for crimes committed during the conflict, they expressed fear and doubt in the protective ability of local and state authorities. Yet despite their fear of recrimination, these women are working closely with the staff of the National Truth and Reconciliation Commission to ensure public and official recognition of the brutalities suffered by women and children. In the small village of Tombo, I met members of the Sierra Leone Market Women's Association (SLMWA), another Global Fund grantee, who expressed renewed hope for the future as a result of their involvement in this group. Through SLMWA programs the women have learned to read and write, and have received immeasurable support from this community of women, which has enabled them to rebuild lives and businesses shattered by the conflict. They have also developed increasing awareness and confidence in their rights under national laws and their rights to personal integrity within the family. While the women expressed relief that the war was over, they also acknowledged the fragility of peace—such fragility was made especially clear when a national alert was called after a key rebel leader escaped custody and all trips outside the capital were cancelled. My trip ended on an inspiring note, with an unexpected visit from nine women under the age of 20. They had heard a representative of the Global Fund for Women was visiting. "We want to show you the future of women's rights in Sierra Leone," they said. With passion and impressive clarity, they expressed their desires to connect with other young women on the African continent and around the world, and to share experiences about being young, female and aware of one's rights. The women of Sierra Leone are representative of much of African womanhood—courageous, resilient, generous and versatile. While a vicious civil war has fractured the foundations of cultural and official governance, they are determined to demand and anchor within their culture an abiding respect for women's rights. Forum for African Women Educationalists Sierra Leone Chapter Christina Thorpe, Chairperson PMB 273 Freetown Sierra Leone Phone: 232 22 2270/6/225844 Fax: 232 22 227763 Email: fawe-sl@sierratel.sl Sierra Leone Market Women's Association Marie Bangura, Secretary P.O. Box 1437 c/o Campaign for Good Governance 11 Old Railway Line. Tengbeh Town Freetown Sierra Leone Phone: 232 22 22523/ 232 22 228454 Fax: 232 22 228896/ 232 22 224439 Email: cgg@sierratel.sl Web site: www.slcgg.org Photo © Adaora Ikenze Sierra Leone Young Women's Christian Association The author would especially like to thank the Sierra Leone Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA) who graciously and miraculously smoothed out all the logistical challenges of travelling for six days in a war-torn country without a working telephone system. Founded in 1915 as the only space exclusively for young girls to meet to share experiences and gain skills, the YWCA is the oldest surviving women's organization in Sierra Leone. A Global Fund grantee as of July 2003, the group is impressive in its support for and collaboration with women's groups, human rights activists and official bodies throughout the country. Young Women's Christian Association Florella Hazeley, President P.O.Box 511 Freetown Sierra Leone Phone: 232 22 240383, 241465 Fax: 232 22 224439 Email: ywcasaleone@yahoo.com