By John Ikani
Sierra Leone has in a historic move, passed the Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Act (GEWE) – a law aimed at promoting gender equality and improving the rights of women in the country.
The new law includes a groundbreaking provision that reserves 30% of government and private sector jobs for women.
This is a significant step towards achieving gender equality in the workplace and addressing the long-standing issue of discrimination against women in the job market.
Gender Minister Manty Tarawalli said, “Today is an historic day when Sierra Leone can rightly say it has legislation carefully designed to do away with gender inequality. This is an important step in the right direction but more steps will have to be taken before the country can say fairness has been achieved across the genders.”
The law also includes provisions to ensure that women have access to ringfenced senior positions in the workplace, at least 14-week-long maternity leave, equal access to bank credit, and training opportunities.
This will help to create a more equal playing field for women in the job market and make it easier for them to advance in their careers.
Employers who fail to comply with the new gender ratios will face harsh penalties, including hefty fines and even potential prison time for financial institutions that do not give women fair access to financial support.
This is expected to make it easier for women to start their own businesses and to promote greater economic empowerment for women in Sierra Leone.
The law applies to any business with more than 25 employees.
This groundbreaking legislation is being hailed as a major victory for women’s rights and equality in Sierra Leone, and a shining example for other countries to follow in the fight for gender equality.
