GNWP Completes indicator training in Freetown; June 13-15

By Helena Gronberg

After three intense days packed with sessions on monitoring and the use of indicators, data collection and analysis, developing advocacy strategies, heated discussions and group work, GNWP on Friday concluded its first 2012 training on monitoring the implementation of UNSCR 1325. The training, which took place in Freetown June 13-15, was co-organized by the GNWP Coordinating Team and GNWP members National Organization of Women (NOW) – SL, Women’s Partnership for Justice and Peace (WPJP), MARWOPNET and Women’s Forum (SL).

2012 is the third year that GNWP is conducting the monitoring exercise.  Sierra Leone was part of the first report in 2010 but in 2011 our Sierra Leonian members were unable to participate. We were therefore delighted to be able to conduct a training on indicators in Freetown and mobilize resources for the monitoring to be carried out.

Through the 1325 monitoring initiative, initiated during the lead-up to the 10th anniversary of UNSCR 1325 in 2010, GNWP contributes to the call for greater accountability by all actors, particularly national governments regarding implementation of UNSCR 1325. The program is designed to build the capacity of women’s organizations in monitoring policy implementation. In 2012 we are putting a strong focus on developing advocacy strategies.

Fatu Kargbo, Chief of Cabinet of Minster of Social Welfare, Gender and Children’s Affairs, Stephen Gaojia, who opened the workshop, noted the role women have played in peacebuilding in Sierra Leone. “This is all the more reason why they should be encouraged to acquire the requisite skills for informed data collection, collation, analysis and reporting,” she said.

“GNWP’s invitation to this workshop is very timely,” says by Jeneba Koroma, Regional Gender Desk officer for the Ministry of Social Welfare, Gender and Children’s Affairs.  “The coordination and collaboration is very important especially when you talk about national evaluation of the resolution.”

To promote cross-learning and partnerships in implementing UNSCR 1325 we had invited members from Burundi, DRC, Liberia and Rwanda to take part in the monitoring training in Freetown. “The workshop has helped us understand all components of the different indicators,” says Annie Matundu from Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF-DRC), who is involved in the project for the second year. “We have also learned about data analysis. We will share this information in a workshop with our network in DRC.” “Normally we collect data but analyzing the data in order to identify gaps on which we need to work, was not really familiar for me,” adds Immacule Ingabire from Rwanda Women’s Network.

Honorable Minster of Social Welfare, Gender and Children’s Affairs, Stephen Gaojia closed the workshop by assuring GNWP and all participants of his governments full support for “all initiatives [GNWP] wishes to do in support of the women of Sierra Leone.”

Next on GNWP’s schedule are workshops in Kenema, Bo, Freetown (rural), and Makeni, where we will carry out our initiative on capacity building and local legislation and 1325/1820. We will work with the Local Development Councils on identifying relevant provisions of Sierra Leone’s National Action Plan (SiLNAP) that could be integrated into Council Development Plans (CDPs). Stay tuned for more info on these workshops!