Caritas Freetown Director Calls for Support of Women in Sierra Leone’s Upcoming Elections

According to the Executive Director of Caritas Freetown, it is also important to ensure the safety and security of women candidates and voters and to provide them with equal access to information, resources, and opportunities.

Fr. Konteh has maintained the need to ensure that the elections in Sierra Leone scheduled for June 24 are free of violence.

He says that preventing violence and supporting women's participation in elections is essential for promoting democracy and ensuring that all citizens have an equal opportunity to participate in the political process. 

“It is important for all stakeholders to work together to create a safe and inclusive environment for elections and to promote gender equality in political participation,” the award winning Catholic Priest says.

He observes that violence can intimidate voters, disrupt the voting process, and create an atmosphere of fear and insecurity.

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“It is important for all stakeholders, including political parties, election officials, security personnel, and civil society organizations, to work together to prevent violence,” the member of the Clergy of the Archdiocese of Freetown who has been vocal about the Sierra Leonean electoral process told ACI Africa March 8.

It is particular important, he said, “to raise awareness about the negative consequences of violence, provide training for security personnel and election officials, and establish effective mechanisms for reporting and responding to incidents of violence.”

Fr. Konteh added, “It is also important to promote dialogue and cooperation among political parties and to encourage them to respect the outcome of the election.”

Agnes Aineah is a Kenyan journalist with a background in digital and newspaper reporting. She holds a Master of Arts in Digital Journalism from the Aga Khan University, Graduate School of Media and Communications and a Bachelor's Degree in Linguistics, Media and Communications from Kenya's Moi University. Agnes currently serves as a journalist for ACI Africa.