Family Planning Campaign Ends in Rural District

Concord Times (Freetown)

30 June 2011

Freetown — The Council of Tribal Heads and Gender Based Violence Monitors (GBV), in collaboration with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), have ended a three-day sensitization campaign in Rokel, Samuel Town and Newton communities in the Waterloo Rural District.

Held from 15-17th June 2011, the sensitization campaign focused on gender based violence, family planning and maternal and mortality rate.

At the Newton community market, Elvera Taylor described gender as the differences between a male and female and enlightened that base means one’s surrounding while violence is the use of force that violates one’s rights.

She continued that violence is prevalent everywhere including religious places, homes and institutions and urged married couples to love and respect each other and send their children to school.

Another speaker, Claris Emmanuel dilated on the disadvantages women are subjected to such as denying them the right to inherit property after the death of their husbands and appealed to all not to violate the rights of children.

Nurse Mabinty H. Kargbo explained about maternal and mortality rate and encouraged all pregnant women to take advantage of the free healthcare scheme by visiting clinics regularly, maintaining that pregnant women must deliver in health centers.

Mohamed Kargbo and Joseph Sesay spoke on family planning which they described as the choice of deciding when to begin child bearing, the number and spacing of children and encouraged children to put premium on education to become progressive and productive citizens in society.

One of the participants, Fatmata Kamara asked about the procedure of securing a customary married certificate and extortion of money from beneficiaries of the free healthcare scheme by health workers to which Claris Emmanuel responded that married certificates can be acquired from District Council offices nationwide and that beneficiaries of the free healthcare scheme should not give money to health workers.

Another participant, Francis Kargbo asked whether joining family planning would not encourage prostitution to which GBV monitors responded in the negative, enlightening that family planning is proper planning on how to space child bearing, the number of children and when to begin child bearing. He added that family planning also prevents early pregnancy and protection from sexually transmitted diseases and HIV/AIDS by using condoms.

Other dignitaries who made statements included the Headman of Newton, Mr. Andrew B. Koroma who also underscored the need to practice family planning and end violence against women and children, while Francis Kargbo reiterated that pregnant women and under-five children must regularly visit health centers.

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