The Legal Aid Board (LAB) in collaboration with the Anglican Diocese of Freetown has conducted a two-day capacity building training on basic laws bordering on Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) for church leaders and other key stakeholders of the Anglican Diocese of Freetown.
The training took place at the Munah Jeploe hall at Richard Street in Freetown and it attracted the total of eighty-five (85) participants drawn from the Western Area Rural and Urban districts.
The aim was to capacitate the participants on their roles and responsibilities as religious leaders as well as church stakeholders in their preventive and responsive methods to issues relating to SGBV. The training also aimed at admonishing the clergy against mediating; probing or attempting to cover-up issues relating to SGBV within the church circle.
In both his opening and closing remarks after the two days session, the Archbishop of the Anglican Diocese of Freetown, Rt. Rev. Thomas A.I Wilson, expressed gratitude to the Board and its Executive Director for the partnership between the Board and the Diocese, noting that the latter is grateful and is always ready to take part in similar legal empowerment should the opportunity arise.
He said the training is in line with the church’s move as an agent of change to introduce a ‘Safe Guard Policy’ just as the Anglican Church global has done.
He used the opportunity to inform the participants that the Diocese now has a Gender Desk and that the Gender Officer is always ready to respond to any of their calls. He called on the participants to cascade the message to their congregation.
In a brief statement on the objectives, expectations and ground rules of the training, the Board’s Monitoring and Evaluation Manager who also doubles as its Acting Head of Programmes, Sallu Jusu, said the training was not the first the Board had organized with the Diocese, noting that similar training had also been held sometimes last year.
He assured the participants of the Board’s readiness in contributing to building the capacity of its partners; stating that as a legal institution the Board puts premium not only in providing legal representation to accused persons but also to legal education and empowerment to partners and the public as well.
The Lead Facilitator of the Legal Aid Board Team at the training, Counsel Ibrahim Bangura, in a PowerPoint presentation, explained the concept of SGBV; it causes; consequences; power; vulnerability and harmful social norms that contribute to SGBV; legal and human rights framework for SGBV in Sierra Leone, etc.
He also explained the role of the church in preventing and responding to SGBV, noting that the church should not act as a police station to mediate or attempt to cover up issues having to do with SGBV. He also talked on issues of exploitation, harassment, and other forms of SGBV within the church environment and how to mitigate them.
Other facilitators also included Counsel Lizandra W. Kargbo and Counsel Mustapha Karim Dauda, who spoke on how church leaders should respond to disclosures of SGBV; what church leaders should do and should not do; referral pathways and access to justice; church safeguarding, etc.
In a plenary session after group work presentations, the participants among other issues recommended for the church leaders to put the law above biblical verses when it comes to issues of SGBV; also for church leaders to include SGBV issues in their sermons/preaching.
They also called on the Diocese and the Legal Aid Board to conduct similar training and in so doing setup a team of Training of Trainers (TOT) for other church members. Â The sessions were interspersed with questions, answers and comments
