UN Women, MoGCA, MoLGCA and the Government of Iceland Conclude District Stakeholder Engagements in Five Coastal Districts

By Mohamed Kargbo: Communications Officer, UN Women Sierra Leone

With support from the Government of Iceland, UN Women, in partnership with the Ministry of Local Government and Community Affairs (MoLGCA), the Ministry of Gender and Children’s Affairs (MoGCA), and implementing partners, has on Friday the 17th July concluded the District Stakeholder Engagements and Popularization of the project, “Empowering Communities Through Gender-Responsive Local Governance: Building Institutional Capacity for Inclusive Service Delivery,” in five coastal districts-Western Area Rural, Moyamba, Bonthe, Kambia, and Port Loko.

The engagements brought together district council leadership, paramount chiefs, town and section chiefs, representatives of ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), civil society organizations (CSOs), women’s groups, youth representatives, persons with disabilities, religious leaders, and other community stakeholders. The objective was to strengthen understanding of the project’s goals, foster local ownership and accountability, promote collaboration and coordination among stakeholders, and lay a solid foundation for the successful implementation of the project.

The engagements also provided an opportunity to formally introduce the implementing partners-ActionAid Sierra Leone, Forum of African Women Educationalists (FAWE), Women’s Advocacy and Agricultural Development Organization (WAADO), and Girls Advocacy Development Network (GADNET)-to district and community stakeholders. With their strong presence and long-standing relationships within the target communities, the partners reaffirmed their commitment to working hand-in-hand with local authorities and community members to deliver sustainable, gender-responsive development.

Across all five coastal districts, stakeholders described the initiative as timely, relevant, and transformative, applauding the Government of Iceland, UN Women, and the Government of Sierra Leone for investing in efforts that advance gender equality and women’s empowerment at the local level.
“We will work closely with the implementing partners to ensure the success of this project,” stakeholders affirmed, highlighting that the implementing partners are trusted organizations with strong roots in the communities they serve. “Together, we will achieve the project’s goals and create lasting impact for women, girls, and communities.”
Delivering the keynote address during one of the stakeholder engagements in Bradford, Moyamba District, the Hon. Minister of Gender and Children’s Affairs, Dr. Isata Mahoi, expressed profound gratitude to the Government of Iceland for its unwavering commitment to gender equality globally and to UN Women for its technical leadership in advancing this agenda in Sierra Leone. She reaffirmed the Ministry’s dedication to providing leadership, coordination, and oversight for the project.
She urged stakeholders to view the project as a shared responsibility.

“Let us popularize this project widely, ensuring that every community understands its purpose and benefits. Gender equality is not a women’s issue alone; it is a national imperative,” she stated.
The Minister stressed that the project’s success requires collective ownership, with government providing policy leadership, councils advancing gender mainstreaming, civil society advocating and monitoring progress, traditional leaders challenging harmful norms, and citizens holding institutions accountable.Representing the Embassy of Iceland in Sierra Leone, Mr. Mohamed Bah, Programme Adviser expressed his appreciation for the strong partnership between the Government of Iceland, the Government of Sierra Leone, and UN Women. He commended the Government of Sierra Leone for its efforts in advancing gender equality and women’s empowerment. He called on all stakeholders to work collectively to ensure the success of the project and maximize benefits for its intended beneficiaries.
Mr. Bah also highlighted the importance of having implementing partners-ActionAid Sierra Leone, Forum of African Women Educationalists (FAWE), Women’s Advocacy and Agricultural Development Organization (WAADO), and Girls Advocacy Development Network (GADNET)-who are deeply rooted in the communities and well positioned to support effective implementation.
The Deputy Chief Administrator of the Moyamba District Council, Mohamed A. Kabia, thanked the Government of Iceland, UN Women, and the Government of Sierra Leone for bringing the project to the community people of Moyamba.
“Let us approach this project with an open mind. This is development, and it is for us-the people,” he encouraged.
During the engagements, UN Women Officer-in-Charge, Baindu Massaquoi, highlighted the expected impact of the project.
“This project will strengthen local councils to deliver more gender-responsive services, support efforts to prevent and respond to gender-based violence, increase community awareness of gender equality and women’s rights, and expand economic opportunities for women and youth through entrepreneurship, business formalization, savings groups, and improved access to markets and financial services,” she said.
She further disclosed that 66 enterprises have been identified to benefit from the project’s economic empowerment interventions.
“The project can only succeed with your partnership,” she noted, emphasizing that local leaders, community groups, women, young people, persons with disabilities, and traditional and religious leaders all have a vital role to play in promoting gender equality, preventing violence, strengthening accountability, and ensuring that no one is left behind.
During the engagements, the project’s Technical Lead, Mariama Gbao, UN Women Policy and Coordination Analyst, provided an overview of the project, its objectives, key components, and expected results.
She also highlighted the impact of Phase I, noting that UN Women, in partnership with the Ministry of Local Government and Community Affairs, the Ministry of Gender and Children’s Affairs, and with support from the Government of Iceland, conducted extensive stakeholder engagements with market women, bike riders, civil society organizations, farmers, paramount chiefs, women’s groups, and other community stakeholders. These consultations and study conducted helped identify community priorities and informed the design and implementation of phase II of the project.
Representing the Ministry of Local Government and Community Affairs, Josetta A. O’Rielle-Campbell, Manager Gender Unit Decentralization Secretariat, Ministry of Local Government and Community Affairs thanked the Government of Iceland and UN Women for the initiative and reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to ensuring the project’s success.
Representing the Paramount Chief, Madam Zainab Mahoi expressed appreciation to the Government of Iceland, UN Women, and the Government of Sierra Leone for the initiative and assured stakeholders that communities would take ownership of the project and actively support its implementation.