WAVES-SL, with support from its donor partner Equality Now through its Generosity of Girls Fund project, commemorated the International Day of the Girl Child at the Child Reintegration Centre（CRC) Bible Training Vocational Institute （BTVI） Compound, Kulanda Town Section, Bo City, Kakua Chiefdom.
This year’s commemoration was held under the global theme: “End Child Marriage and Invest in Girls Rights. Over 100 girls from various secondary schools in Bo City, Kakua Chiefdom, including: Namya Secondary School Methodist Girls High School Saint Andrew’s Secondary School United Brethren Secondary School （UBC, Ebert Secondary School and Royal Grace Secondary School
The m\Monitoring and Evaluation Officer for WAVES-SL gave a background of Equality Now and how they came in contact with Equality Now. He also said that during the Ebola outbreak in Sierra Leone a lot of girl child were pregnant and after the outbreak when school resumed the government of Sierra Leone did not allow the pregnant girls not to go to school WAVES-SL, together with Women Partnership for Justice and Peace, Grace Land and Défense for Children International with legal and financial support from Equality Now, challenged this discriminatory ban. The organizations filed a case against the Government of Sierra Leone at the ECOWAS Court of Justice in Abuja, Nigeria. In a landmark judgment in December 2019, the ECOWAS Court ruled in favour of the organizations and against the Government of Sierra Leone, declaring the ban discriminatory and a violation of the girls’ right to education. Through that victory, which was supported by Equality Now, pregnant girls were allowed to return and continue schooling. The M&E Officer noted that since that victory, Equality Now has continued to support WAVES-SL to promote girls’ rights, end child marriage, and ensure that no girl is left behind which has led to the current Generosity of Girls Fund project.
In this year’s commemoration was that the entire session was planned and implemented by the young people of WAVES-SL. The youth facilitators demonstrated exceptional leadership, confidence and knowledge on girls’ rights issues During the engagement, the young facilitators led comprehensive discussions on the following thematic areas: Gender-Based Violence （GBV） and Access to Justice Forms of GBV: physical, sexual, emotional, economic violence. Girls’ Rights, Equality and Gender Equality. Every girl has equal rights as boys to education, health, protection and participation
Girls’ Rights, Gender Equality and Leadership. Girls can be leaders in schools, communities and the nation Breaking stereotypes that leadership is for boys The young facilitators shared their own leadership journeys as role models Sessions on public speaking, self-confidence and decision making. Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) and FGM/C Link between SGBV, child marriage and Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting FGM/C as a harmful practice and a form of GBV that violates girls’ bodily autonomy Health and psychological consequences of FGM/C National and international laws prohibiting FGM/C on children Bodily Autonomy and Menstrual Health Care A girl’s right to make decisions over her own body Understanding menstruation as normal, not shameful Menstrual hygiene management: use of sanitary pads, cleanliness, staying in school during menstruation Breaking myths and stigma around menstruation The right to say NO to any form of sexual exploitation or forced touching) The Child Rights Act 2025 and Other Legal Frameworks The facilitators sensitized participants on the Child Rights Act (Reviewed 2025) a child is any person below 18 years The Prohibition of Child Marriage Act 2024 — 18 years minimum age for marriage The Sexual Offences Act and the rights of girls to protection Right to education, right to protection from child marriage and right to be heard
At the closure of the program one of the pupils from Melodist Girls High expresses profound gratitude to Equality Now through the Generosity of Girls Fund for making this commemoration impactful. She expressed thanks to WAVES-SL more especially the Executive Director Madam Hannah Fatmata Yambasu for recognizing six schools for this wonderful program, she expressed that WAVES-SL will forever be in their heart, she finally thanked all six participating schools, parents, and community stakeholders for gracing this wonderful ceremony. “Together, we will end child marriage and invest in girls’ rights。
