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R 221516Z JAN 08
FM AMEMBASSY FREETOWN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1664
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 FREETOWN 000030 
 
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SUBJECT:  HONORING WOMEN'S POLITICAL PARTICIPATION IN SIERRA LEONE 
 
 
¶1.  Summary: Following presidential and parliamentary elections in 
2007, a committee led by two NGOs -- Search for Common Ground and 
Enhancing Interaction and Interface Between Civil Society and the 
State to Improve Poor People's Lives (ENCISS) -- convened a 2-day 
symposium, The Honoring Women Initiative January 3-4 to honor the 
efforts of women from throughout Sierra Leone who participated in 
the elections as candidates and political activists. The symposium 
was designed to encourage participation in the upcoming July 2008 
local elections and was supported by Embassy and USAID.  The First 
Lady of Sierra Leone presided at the event. She was joined by the 
President at the closing to honor the many women who were active in 
civil society and who had competed for political office.  Competed 
surveys by attendee reflected a renewed energy and commitment to 
women's political participation in Sierra Leone.  The challenge will 
be to carry the positive momentum forward to improve women's 
political engagement.  End Summary. 
 
¶2.  With funding and support from Irish Aid, the National Democratic 
Institute (USAID funded), Search for Common Ground (USAID funded), 
DFID, Oxfam, UNIOSIL and other local NGOs, the symposium started 
with an acknowledgement of the need to celebrate the efforts of 
women who stood for office in 2007 and stressed the importance of 
increasing women's' political participation to ensure the rights, 
protection and improvement of the role of women in Sierra Leone. 
The First Lady chaired the opening event, and speakers including the 
Minister for President Affairs, Alpha Kanu speaking on behalf of 
President Koroma, UNIOSIL Officer in Charge Hagoss Gebremehdin, 
Search for Common Ground Director Ambrose James and the Charge. 
 
Developing the Symposium Agenda 
 
¶3. The initial impetus for the symposium began with a discussion, 
hosted at the Embassy, of the need to recognize and honor National 
Elections Chair Dr. Christiana Thorpe for her personal courage and 
leadership in ensuring a successful outcome for the 2007 national 
elections. As Minister Kanu noted, the Sierra Leone electoral 
outcome could have been a shambles "but for the grace of God and 
Christiana Thorpe."  Not only was Dr. Thorpe recognized for her 
unswerving commitment to free and fair elections, but, she became a 
symbol for all Sierra Leoneans of the vital role women must play in 
the country's future. From that that initial desire to honor her 
historic contribution, grew a symposium to increase women's 
participation in governance by recognizing and honoring women 
political activists and candidates who play a vital role in their 
communities and were particularly active during the elections.  The 
outcomes of the symposium were to encourage increased women's 
participation in the 2008 local elections, honor the contribution of 
women in the electoral process, foster solidarity among women's 
networks, and engage government on priority issues for women in 
Sierra Leone. 
 
¶4.  Frances Fortune, Director of Search for Common Ground Africa and 
Jeannette Eno, Director of ENCISS, conceived and developed the 
symposium agenda.  Jeannette Eno led the coordinating committee to 
include key civil society Sierra Leonean women activists, NGOs and 
international partners. The U.S. Embassy and USAID participated in 
the steering committee and provided material support. 
 
Impressive Participation Honors and Spurs the Women's Agenda 
 
¶5.  The symposium was attended by over 300 women from all districts 
of Sierra Leone and included among them many successful and 
unsuccessful political candidates in the national elections.  The 
seminars, presented by local and international political activists 
including Dr. Christiana Thorpe covered topics ranging from Women in 
Peace and Security to Decision Making at the Local and National 
Levels.  The closing ceremony, chaired by First Lady Sia Koroma with 
President Koroma, included the presentation of awards to all women 
candidates from the 2007 elections. Three political activists from 
each of Sierra Leone's districts were also singled out for their 
community commitment to improving the lives of those around them. 
Honorees included civil society activists, health care providers, 
teachers, agriculturists, peace activist, entrepreneurs, micro 
enterprise developers, performers, and artists.  The event also 
honored current and former women government ministers. 
 
¶6.  Although the event will not be annual, the organizers intend for 
the symposium to be a jumping-off point for future engagement and 
interaction among women around the country, particularly in the lead 
up to the local elections. The event encouraged networking, sharing 
of ideas, and solidarity.  Sustaining that momentum through the 
process and beyond will be an important goal for the Embassy and 
USAID electoral support. Ongoing programs will help to build on 
networks developed at the symposium.  USAID, through NDI, IFES and 
Search for Common Ground, is already working to translate the 
women's local election Action Plans into concrete initiatives, 
 
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hopefully resulting in a significant increase in new women local 
government officers. 
 
PERRY