MINISTRY OF GENDER AND CHILDREN’S AFFAIRS HOLDS COORDINATION MEETING ON NATIONAL COMMITTEE ON GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE.

The Ministry of Gender and Children’s Affairs today convened a high-level coordination meeting with development partners at its headquarters in Freetown, focusing on pathways and recommendations to strengthen national efforts in addressing Gender-Based Violence (GBV). The meeting forms part of ongoing engagements to review the work of the National Committee on GBV (NACGBV) and foster collaboration among key stakeholders.

Present at the meeting were Permanent Secretary Aminata Y. Sannoh, Director of Gender Marian Goodie Sowonie, Assistant Director Harry Mahoi, Ministry Consultant Ramatu Kargbo, and representatives from civil society organizations and international partners.

In her welcome address, Permanent Secretary Sannoh expressed appreciation for the continued support of development partners, underscoring the Ministry’s commitment to a coordinated and survivor-centered approach to tackling GBV across the country.

Director of Gender Marian Goodie Sowonie provided an overview of the background and objectives of the National Committee for GBV. She explained that the committee was established to support the integration and reintegration of GBV survivors into their communities through structured partnerships. She emphasized that the committee serves as a national framework to harmonize information access, strengthen unified action planning, and promote cross-sector collaboration for survivor safety and justice.

Goodie further outlined the committee’s roadmap, which includes implementing strategic frameworks, fostering collaboration for the development of a National Action Plan, establishing a coordinated justice sector response to GBV, and improving data and information sharing to enhance advocacy. “These are the policy directions the committee is focused on,” she said.

Assistant Director Harry Mahoi stressed the importance of legal and structured partnerships between development actors and the Ministry. He urged newly formed institutions to seek formal approval before pursuing GBV-related collaborations.

In her presentation, Consultant Ramatu Kargbo highlighted disturbing GBV incidents in Yenga, including cases where women were forced to sit under the sun and children subjected to child labor and physical abuse. Her report underscored the urgent need for intervention in neglected rural communities.

During the session, participants raised critical concerns around the terms of reference (TORs) required for institutions engaging in GBV work, stressing the need for confidentiality and consistency to prevent sensitive information from reaching unauthorized entities.

The meeting concluded with agreement on next steps, including the development of action plans by partners ahead of the next NACGBV session, as the Ministry and stakeholders continue to advance coordinated responses to gender-based violence in Sierra Leone.