Expert Views

Across Africa, women are crying for equality in leadership and governance. In Sierra Leone, it has been a long cry for women to have a 30 percent representation in governance. Over the recent years, Sierra Leone has made some progress in ensuring women occupy key leadership positions in Sierra Leone. In a landslide victory against two male candidates, Dr. Sylvia Olayinka Blyden became the first woman to win the student union presidency at the University of Sierra Leone, a position which won her an invitation to represent the country’s female youth in Beijing, China during the 1995 UN Conference on Women. At the time, Dr. Blyden also was studying at the College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences at the University of Sierra Leone and she graduated with her MD in 1996.

Priscilla Schwartz is a Sierra Leonean lawyer, the first woman to serve as Attorney General and Minister of Justice (2018–2020) in Sierra Leone.

Yvonne Aki Sawyer was elected first female Mayor since 1980, in the 2018 general elections. Despite these developments, more needs to be done.

According to the 2015 Population and Housing Census, women and girls make up 50.8 percent of the population in Sierra Leone.

We are still not there yet when it comes to the percentage of women that are in governance globally. In Africa in general and Sierra Leone in particular, it all starts in the home where the girl child’s only business is in the farm or kitchen. This mentality is making a lot of girls shy away from participating and not reaching their full potential.

Some 18 years ago, African governments committed to the Maputo Protocol affirming the rights of women and girls. Women’s rights are fundamental to human security and sustainable peace. The African Union’s Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa (Maputo Protocol) guarantees the rights and equality of women on the continent and complements the global women, peace, and security agenda.

At ChildFund, we take pride in ensuring that women have their rightful place in society and are contributing to development. Globally, until a few weeks ago, ChildFund’s President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Anne Lynam Goddard, was a woman. Anne retired from active service after serving ChildFund as President and CEO for a period of 15 years, overseeing 24 countries.

When ChildFund was established in Sierra Leone in 1985, its first Country Director, Joyce Dougan, was a woman – the only woman to have held that position in the organization in Sierra Leone. The Programs and Sponsorship Director role, the second in the leadership hierarchy in the Sierra Leone Country Office (CO), has never been filled by a woman until last week.

ChildFund realizes how critical women’s roles are in development.

On International Women’s Day today, ChildFund is proud to announce Isatu Venn as its first Sponsorship and Programs Director, since the organization was established in Sierra Leone in 1985.

Isatu comes to ChildFund with over 15 years of experience developing and implementing outstanding program initiatives in Education, WASH, Child Protection, Sponsorship, Food Security and Livelihoods in various international and humanitarian organizations in Sierra Leone.

Prior to joining ChildFund, Isatu worked extensively with OXFAM, World Vision and Save the Children in various programming positions. She has core skills in sponsorship management, advocacy, monitoring and evaluation, resource mobilization and management, partnership, and emergency management. Isatu holds a post graduate Master of Science in Rural Development, Bachelor of Arts Degree, and a Post Graduate Diploma in Adult Education.

‘’I feel honored to serve in my new position as Sponsorship and Programs Director at ChildFund. My being the first woman to serve in this position should inspire other women that it is possible for women to climb the ladder. Thanks to my parents for the education that landed me in this position today. I would not have come this far if they had not sponsored my education,’’ Isatu said, adding the following words as well:

“Making sure women have what is needed to be empowered, opening opportunities, and building capacities of other women, makes me happy. I also motivate other women by being hardworking and aiming beyond the sky. I will contribute to changing the lives of children, raising more funds, supporting the vision of the organization, among others. Together, we will work towards acquiring more sponsors for our beloved children in vulnerable communities.’’

Isatu will be responsible for providing strategic leadership for programs and sponsorship initiatives; leading in development and implementation of strategic policies, plans and proposals, networks and partnership initiatives, tools, standards that enhance quality growth and management on all program and sponsorship activities.

ChildFund wishes all women across the world a Happy International Women’s Day.