Gender Minister, high-powered delegation from Sierra Leone participate in Commission on the Status of Women’s 54th Session at the United Nations in New York

The Minister of Social Welfare, Children’s and Gender Affairs, Dr. Soccoh Kabia,  is in New York with a high-powered delegation from Sierra Leone to attend the  54th Session of The Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) , from March 1 to 12, 2010, at the United Nations. The Session  commemorates the 15th anniversary of the 1995 Beijing Conference. The United Nations Department of Information reports that the Beijing Platform for Action outlines twelve critical areas of concern for women.  This  session provides an opportunity to reaffirm the Commission’s achievements and the duty of the States to implement their commitments.

This all-important women’s meeting will also facilitate preparations  for the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) Review Summit which will be held in September  this year. This session  is also stressing the need to promote  equal gender participation  at all levels of society.

The United Nations is teaming with women from all parts of the world as over 10,000 participants are attending the session.

The U.S State Department ‘s Public Affairs Unit reports that “The Commission was established in 1946 with the intent to ‘prepare recommendations and reports to the Council on promoting women’s rights in political, economic, civil, social and educational fields.’  It also makes recommendations to the Council on imperative problems requiring immediate consideration in the field of women’s rights and has been expanded to ‘include the functions of promoting the objectives of equality, development and peace, monitoring the implementation of measures for the advancement of women, and reviewing and appraising progress made at the national, subregional, regional, and global levels’ ” .

The twelve areas of concern outlined in the Beijing Conference “Platform for Action” are:  1. The fight against the increasing poverty of women ; 2. Promoting equal access to education and training ;  3. Promoting equal access to health care and medical services ; 4. The fight against violence to women ; 5. Combating the effects of armed conflict on women ; 6. Promoting equality within economic structures and policies, equal access to all forms of productive activities and resources ; 7. Encouraging the sharing of power and decision-making ; 8. Developing mechanisms to promote the advancement of women ; 9. Ensuring respect for the fundamental rights of women and improving the promotion and protection of these rights ; 10. The fight against the stereotyping of women and inequality in women’s access to and participation in communication systems, especially in the media; 11. Promoting equal access to the management of natural resources and the safeguarding of the environment ; 12. Eliminating the discrimination against and violation of the fundamental rights of girls .

Sierra Leone’s delegation includes Minister Kabia, Hon. Dr. Soccoh A Kabia and the foillowing :

Eunice Njovana

Hon. Tamba Sam

Hon. Bernadette Lahai

Mabel Kartushe

Charles Vandi

Agnes Farma

Dr. Nana Pratt

Edward Jombla

Maude Peacock

Fatou Kargbo

Councillor Sembia Johnson, President of Council of Women Councillors

Hon. Rev. Marie Yansaneh

Hon. Claude Kamanda

Clara F. Koroma

John Manu

Josephine Sam

Agnes Pessima

Elizabeth Sam

The Social Welfare,Children’s and Gender Affairs Minister, Dr. Soccoh Kabia  delivered a statement  in the plenary yesterday  afternoon. We will bring you the speech later today.

Office of the Minister Plenipotentiary/ Division of Press and Public Affairs : Permanent Mission of Sierra Leone to the United Nations, New York

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