The Gender, Research and Documentation Centre and the Political Science Department of the University of Sierra Leone, in collaboration with the 50/50 Group of Sierra Leone, have launched a research project dubbed: “Interrogating Young Women’s Political Participation in Post-war Sierra Leone.” The project launch took place on Monday 6th June at the Mary Kingsley Theatre, Fourah Bay College in Freetown.

Founder of 50/50 Group of Sierra Leone, Mrs. Nemata Majeks-Walker has disclosed that the aim of the research is to ascertain the political participation of young women at local government and university level ahead of the 2012 general elections.

According to her, the research will track the political engagement and participation of young female aspirants and ascertains their strategies for the forthcoming elections.

The research will look into the inspiration of the women and the barriers they are facing in politics. She concluded by assuring that they will be organizing trainings in Freetown, Kono, and Bo, noting that the project will last for two years.

Giving an overview of the research, the lead researcher, Dr. Aisha Fofanah, who doubles as Acting Director, GRADOC, FBC, stated that the research is aimed at blending academia and activism, or theory and practical application - a distinction that is often very fluid in the line of work. She however pointed out that the objective of the research is to examine the way in which women/gender activism, during and after the civil war, have impacted on young women’s political participation.

Dr. Aisha Ibrahim urged women to stand out and strive towards achieving the 30% quota in governance. She disclosed that they would be training 20 women, who will in turn train other women on the women’s political participation in post-war country.

Officially launching the research, the Minister of Social Welfare Gender and Children Affairs Dr. Dennis Sandy, assured the researchers of the government’s commitment in ensuring that they provide space for women in governance and also to ensure that the women achieve their 30% quota.