Office of the Wife of VP Celebrates International Day of Girl Child
The Office of the Wife of the Vice President in collaboration of the Ministry of Education Science and Technology (MEST) and the Ministry of Social Welfare Gender and Children’s Affairs, have observed the International Day of the Girl Child on the year’s theme, “The power of the adolescent girl vision 2030” and launching of the Advocacy on Enhanced Completion of Schooling for all Vulnerable Girls. (Photo: Participants from far left, VP Wife’s Jonta and Sia Nyama Koroma)
The occasion that attracted Government Ministers, donor partners, school children, Civil Societies, religious leaders and other members of the public was observed on Monday, 12th October 2013 at the Bank Complex at Kingtom in Freetown on the national theme “No Belle Before and After BECE,”
Delivering the keynote address, the wife of the Vice President, Mrs. Jonta Foh, described the occasion as an important milestone in her vision for girls in Sierra Leone,
She stated that it was a dream that has been closely tied to her experience as a schoolteacher and that of a never ending love as a mother.
She said she felt humbled to join the First Lady, Mrs. Sia Nyama Koroma, the Ministry of Education and all partners who have ceaselessly contributed in making sure that girls are given the dignity that they deserve in order to be given space and opportunity to be respected and productive citizens.
“Available statistics indicate that every one in six girls in Sierra Leone will attend high school and the completion rate even lower,” said Mrs. Foh.
She noted that research has shown that a girl born in Sierra Leone is more likely to be sexually assaulted than she is to attend high school.
She registered her profound appreciation to donor partners like UNICEF, Plan International, Save the Children and World Vision for their continuous support in supporting girls.
She concluded by cautioning adolescent girls to know that they are in a critical period and they are surrounded by challenges in their life and that they should be patient until they reach their fullest potential in their lives backed by good education.
In her statement, First Lady Madam Sia Nyama Koroma emphasized that the historic initiative is very close to her heart as a mother of daughters who are now adults but like all girls they also went through the various stages of adolescence.
She noted that if this country’s girls are empowered through education, they have the potential to rule the world and change the landscape of national development.
“Through this initiative, we will be able to motivate adolescent girls to prioritize education by focusing on their studies and attaining good results that will enable them to enter college and university and complete their tertiary education,” she predicted, adding that teenage mothers will also be given the opportunity to return to school and complete their education.
She recognized the strong efforts being made by national organizations especially women’s groups and local communities in advocating for teenage mothers to return to school.
She concluded by assuring the people of Sierra Leone of her fullest support to the project which she said incidentally falls within the ambit of her unrelenting efforts to reduce maternal mortality in the country.
The Minister of Social Welfare Gender and Children Affairs, Mr. Moijua Kaikai, maintained that the country has the necessary resources to make the children benefit but that lack of coordination is the biggest challenge in the process.
Audience in the Ceremony
He called on donor partners to work as a team with his Ministry in order to achieve the same goal they are all fighting for.
He talked about the high number of cases against children in the Courts and appealed for Residential Magistrates in the provinces to speedily try cases.
He said he will endeavour to be holding meetings with line Ministries to put modalities in place in addressing the issues of girls.
He appealed to the Police and the Judiciary to stop compromising cases that will hamper the well being of the children of this country.
Representatives from the Ministry of Education, the UN Family and other humanitarian organizations also made meaningful contributions.
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