By Musa Paul Feika
Orange SL, the leading telecommunications company in Sierra Leone, has been spectacular in supporting women and offering affordable services to Sierra Leoneans.
As a leading telecommunications company, on Thursday, 14th March, 2024, Orange SL, Westminster Foundation (WFD) and other partners have celebrated an Orange Day or International Women’s Day with the Female Parliamentary Caucus.
This celebration took place in the House of Parliament on Thursday, 14th March, 2024.
Orange SL Secretary General Danetta Younge said they recognised the role of women in politics and thanked the Female Parliamentary Caucus for the progress they made in gender equality and women’s empowerment.
Madam Younge thanked the government of Sierra Leone for their unwavering commitment to women and implementation of legislations including Gender Equality and Women Empowerment Act, which she said has made it possible to achieve gender equality.
Orange’s representative encouraged the Caucus to make more legislation to empower and support women.
She pleaded with the government of Sierra Leone to create an enabling environment for women, especially economic, where women can contribute to society.
Without the role of the female MPs in Parliament she said gender equality can’t be achieved and urged them to champion gender equality. Gender equality, she said, is important and cannot be achieved overnight. She praised the Female Parliamentary Caucus for being in the forefront of the fight, adding that their achievement is an inspiration to women nationwide.
She prayed that gender equality will not be a limit for women.
As Orange SL, she added they understood the importance of women, asserting that when they invest in women, they are investing in affiliations.
She said as a company, they are in full compliance with the 30% threshold for women and assured that 30% of Orange Sierra Leone workforce is women.
She assured that women are in leadership role, emphasising that it is a testament to create space, fairness and equality and to create an enabling environment where women can grow based on their integrity.
Madam Younge encouraged every Sierra Leonean to embrace the power of investing in women by providing them resources and help them grow.
In her welcoming statement the chairperson of the programme, Sylvia O. Blyden thanked the Caucus, especially the President of the Female Parliamentary Caucus, Hon. Neneh Lebbie.
Dr. Blyden said the Speaker of the House of Parliament, Dr. Chenor Abass Bundu contributed and also played a pivotal role in gender equality. She encouraged female MPs to continue representing the voiceless women.
The current President of Female Parliamentary Caucus, Hon Neneh Lebbie, said the Female Parliamentary Caucus has grown during the Fifth Session of Parliament.
She thanked President Bio and First Lady Fatima Bio and development partners for their unwavering support.
Hon. Lebbie said the Caucus have contributed immensely to enacted bills and gender related issues.
Hon. Lebbie thanked the Orange SL CEO, the Country Director, Westminster Foundation (WFD), Rev. Diamond Suma, who said as traditional partners in the House of Parliament they are happy to celebrate the Orange Day with the Female Parliamentary Caucus.
Rev. Suma said the event marks an achievement for women in Sierra Leone as they commemorated International Women’s Day with the theme “Invest in women, Amplifying women’s political achievement in Sierra Leone’s Parliament”.
He said the occasion is a step forward for female politicians and political leaders in Parliament by showcasing their achievements towards women’s empowerment. He assured the event will inspire inclusion.
He said women’s empowerment is not only an obligation, but a strategy that prepares for achieving sustainable development.
He concluded that when women are empowered, communities are inspired, economies prosper and optimism for inclusion.
On behalf of the Clerk of Parliament who was unavoidably absent, both the Leader of Government business, Hon. Sahr Mathew Nyuma and the Leader of the main opposition, All People’s Congress (APC), Hon. Abdul Kargbo inaugurated the SlePack executive members.
Hon. Abdul Kargbo admonished them saying, ‘let not politics divide you’, adding that women are 52% of the population, but they have been pushed outside by communities and some of them are being harassed and embarrassed in their places of work.