Freetown: The Ministry of Gender and Children's Affairs convened senior government officials, gender focal persons, and development partners for a critical high-level validation meeting to finalize a new Draft Gender Accountability Framework and evaluate progress on the Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment Act of 2022.
According to Sierra Leone News Agency, the meeting was held at the CCSL Hall and gathered key figures, including Deputy Chief Director Marian Goodie Sowonie, Director of Strategic Planning and Policy Ibrahim Kamara, and Deputy Director of the Gender Directorate Bamie J. Sesay. Representatives from the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa also participated as part of an ongoing regional scoping mission.
Chair Harry Mahoi opened proceedings, welcoming participants and acknowledging UNECA's supportive role in assessing institutional progress on gender commitments. Deputy Director Bamie J. Sesay outlined the core objective of transforming the draft framework into a practical, universal tool for monitoring and reporting gender mainstreaming efforts across all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies. Sesay emphasized the necessity of collaborative refinement, focusing on accurate gender-disaggregated data and real accountability.
Director Ibrahim Kamara presented the framework's architecture, explaining its direct foundation in the GEWE Act, particularly the mandate for at least 30% female representation in leadership roles. He detailed two tailored reporting templates for public and private sectors designed to track thematic indicators, leadership demographics, and policy alignment. Kamara noted that the initiative aligns with global standards such as the UN Gender Scorecard, and aims to strengthen gender mainstreaming, equality, and financial inclusion through measurable indicators and guided assessment.
The feedback session yielded substantive recommendations, including the inclusion of board chairpersons in thematic assessments and alignment with Sierra Leone's Disability Act to ensure disability-friendly public institutions. A representative from the Ministry of Sports praised the framework as a strategic roadmap for empowerment and accountability, while other contributions emphasized the need to incorporate stronger childcare policies, capture paternity leave data, and improve disaggregation of gender statistics to reveal deeper disparities.
The session concluded with a commitment to advancing gender equality standards nationwide. Officials announced plans for follow-up training workshops to familiarize all stakeholders with the finalized framework, ensuring it becomes a living document for driving tangible change.