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New child rights and gender laws strengthen World Vision advocacy work
By Octavia Peters & Claudius Davies on 10 Jul 2007
The Sierra Leone parliament passed into law four bills aimed at addressing the welfare of women and children. The Child Rights Bill and three Gender Bills aim to promote the rights of children and women in all aspects of life, and will strengthen World Vision’s advocacy work The laws came into force on June 14.
The child rights bill criminalises marrying a girl under the age of 18 years. It also outlaws child labour and guarantees medical care for all children. The Customary Marriage and Divorce Act, the Domestic Violence Act, and the Devolution of Estates Act change age-old traditions. However, the law fails to outlaw female genital mutilation.
Under the new gender laws, a woman and a man who co-habit for five years automatically become legally married. Even though this has drawn sharp criticism from church organisations that see it as “legalising fornication”, women’s rights activists have welcomed it.
The law also provides that a wife whose husband dies without a will can now lay claim to his property. The current General Law allows a woman to inherit only one-third of her husband’s estate if they have children and one-half without them. A man however inherits 100 percent of his wife’s estate.
The existing law does not allow for a woman to inherit any of her late husband’s property. Rather, she is herself inherited mostly by the late husband’s younger brother; and their children subjected to inhuman treatment if their mother refuses to be inherited.
The Domestic Violence Act requires government to provide temporary homes for victims of domestic violence. Dowries are no longer refundable after marriage.
The Devolution of Estates Act introduces great changes to the economic standing of women, as most wealth in Sierra Leone is inherited.
In an article published on the NO Peace Without Justice website (http://www.npwj.org/) on the passing of the bills, a girl said: "I'm more privileged than my mum - she was forced into marriage at an early age. At least I can decide for myself how to live my life without my parents interfering."
World Vision International Sierra Leone Programme worked on child rights and gender issues during the conflict in Sierra Leone. An even greater focus now, in the transition to development stage, including disability issues, is being made.
During the conflict in Sierra Leone, World Vision advocated for the release of children engaged in alluvial diamond mining.
Through its LINKS program, women are given the opportunity to improve their livelihoods and decision making in their communities and become self-reliant.
Disability is a cross-cutting theme in World Vision Sierra Leone’s five-year country strategy. The organisation intends to mainstream people with disabilities into the development process.
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