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CENSSAD Intensifies Efforts To Set Up MRU Women’s Parliamentary Forum, With Another Visit To Sierra Leone

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PHOTO: Recent meeting with Female Parliamenterian and MRU Secretary General

The Center for Security Studies and Development (CENSSAD) is continuing its initiative to establish the Mano River Union Women’s Parliamentary Forum, which will serve as a platform for women’s political participation at national and regional level in the Mano River Union (MRU) basin.

CENSSAD’s Executive Director, Richelieu Allison has been visiting Sierra Leone from as a guest of members of the Sierra Leone Parliamentarian Women’s Caucus. His visit rand from 21-24 November 2023.

He was accompanied by Ms. Marayah Fyneah, Coordinator of the Female Legislative Caucus of Liberia and Rev. Just Gray, Executive Director of The Platform, a Liberian civil society group, a CENSSAD press release says.

During the visit, Mr. Allison and his team were formally introduced to the Parliament of Sierra Leone by the Speaker of the Sierra Leonean Parliament, Hon. Abbas Bundu, during a regular Parliamentarian Session on 21 November.  Speaking during a courtesy visit to the Speaker, Mr. Allison recounted the first Regional Webinar on Women’s Political Participation, which was organized by CENSSAD on 3rd May 2023 and brought together women leaders and parliamentarians from across the MRU, a meeting that recommended the formation of a Regional Female Parliamentary Network.

He further informed the Honorable Speaker of the visit to Liberia in August 2023 of six Sierra Leonean Parliamentarians, including two male Parliamentarians, when they interacted with a number of key stakeholders. They included members of the Female Legislative Caucus of Liberia, the Speaker of the House of Representatives of Liberia, Hon, Bofal Chambers, former Liberian President, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf,  Executives of UN Women Liberia, the Swedish Ambassador to Liberia Urban Sjöström and female candidates in the just concluded Liberian elections.  For his part, Hon. Bundo commended the Liberian delegation for visiting the Parliament of Sierra Leone and pledged his support to the formation of the MRU Women Parliamentary Network.

After the meeting with Speaker Bundo, the delegation also met with a cross section of female parliamentarians, including Hon, Rebecca Kamara, Hon Adama Bangura, Hon. Emelia Lolloh Tongi and Hon. Princess Daramy to discuss the setting up of the MRU Women’s Parliamentary Network.

The delegation was later accompanied by some members of the Sierra Leone Parliamentary Women’s Caucus for separate meeting with the Secretary General of the Mano River Union, Ambassador Maria G. Harrison and Madam Baindu Massaquoi-Taylor, Program Specialist and Lead, Governance and Participation Section UN Women-Sierra Leone.

Both Ambassador Harrison and Madam Taylor commended CENSSAD for its initiative and pledged their support to the establishment of the Network. Ambassador Harrison promised the support of the MRU Secretariat in working with member states to ensure the setting up of the Women Parliamentary Network, whilst Madam Taylor pledged to work with UN Women offices across the sub region to ensure that the initiative is supported.

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