Women Against Violence and Exploitation in Society in Sierra Leone (WAVES-SL) has organized a two days training in Bo City, Southern part of Sierra Leone for Civil society organizations, Women’s Rights groups, human rights defenders and actors. The training focused on Digital and physical security alongside psycho-social. The Monitoring and Evaluation Officer for WAVES-SL said that, the program is designed to equipped participants with practical skills to identify and response to security strength, whilst promoting self-care and psychological wellbeing. M & E stated that, journalists and Human Rights Defenders can face online harassments, Cyber Bolling and other risks because of the nature of their work.
The lead facilitator for the training Detective Inspector Moses Tommy Ganda who happens to be the head of Cyber Unit in Southern part of Sierra Leone gave a background of the inception of Cyber Unit in Sierra Leone. With the increase in mobile money fraud, online scams, child exploitation, and the spread of false information during Ebola and COVID-19, the government saw that our old laws could not address crimes committed online. Sierra Leone also needed a law to meet international standards under the African Union Convention on Cyber Security. Inspector Ganda told participants that, the Ministry of Information and Communications, working with the Ministry of Justice, the Sierra Leone Police, NCP, and other partners, drafted the Bill. There were stakeholder consultations across the country including in Bo, Kenema and here in the South where civil society, journalists, and community leaders gave input. He finally said that
The Bill was then tabled in Parliament. Members of Parliament debated it clause by clause in 2021. After the debates and amendments, it was voted on and passed. His Excellency the President assented to it, and it became the Cyber Security and Cyber Crime Act No. 8 of 2021 This Act now gives us, the Sierra Leone Police Cyber Unit, the legal mandate to investigate, arrest, and prosecute cyber-crimes. It also protects citizens’ rights and data while punishing offenders.
The two days training targeted fifteen (15) core participants (Women Human Rights Defenders, journalists & CSO staff)
At the close of the two-day intensive training on Digital Security and Psychosocial Support for Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and journalists, participants expressed their heartfelt gratitude to the Regional Coordinator for Cybersecurity in the Southern Region of Sierra Leone for enlightening them on hidden issues surrounding cybercrime. They also extended sincere appreciation to WAVES-SL and its Donor Partners for organizing such an impactful and educative learning program. The participants further appealed to WAVES-SL and its donor partners to extend and replicate such trainings in the future.
