The text promulgated by President Julius Maada Bio also applies to Parliament, where only 18 of the 146 seats are today occupied by women.
Mo12345lemonde with AFP
The president of Sierra Leone, Julius Maada Bio, promulgated Thursday, January 19, an imposing law that all public or private organizations reserve 30 % of their jobs for women, including management positions, in a company that promotes traditionally men.
“The law on equality and responsibility of women that I promulgue today will undoubtedly completely straighten the imbalances between the sexes in our country. We must ensure that it works,” said the president During the signature ceremony, in Freetown. The text also applies to Parliament, where 30 % of the 146 seats will have to be occupied by women. Eighteen women sit in parliament today and four are among the 32 members of the government of Mr. Bio.
“We must no longer hinder, lower, intimidate or hinder women who want to work in the public sector and those who support them, said the organic president. This will not be simple because this space is occupied by Men for a very long time, we must monitor the electoral processes to guarantee the equity and transparency of the elections. “
Employers who do not respect the law incur a fine of 50,000 leones (2,400 euros) for each offense. The text also aims to promote women’s access to funding and links public spending to equality between men and women. Those who deny women equal access to financial support risk at least three years in prison.
Defenders of rights longly denounce discrimination against women as well as the violence they are victims in this poor country of 7.5 million inhabitants.