Women Against Violence and Exploitation in Society Sierra Leone (WAVES-SL) organized two days training on Digital and Security Psycho-Social for Civil Society Organizations (CSO’S) and journalists at the Don Bosco Hall Shellmingo section in the Southern part of Sierra Leone.
The Project Officer for Protection International gave the project titled: Strengthening the Protection and Resilience of Women Human Rights Defenders and Civil Society Actors in Bo City, Sierra Leone. She iterated that the project is funded by UK-based Donor. She emphasized that, the project goal aim promotes the rights, health, and dignity of women and girls in targeted communities in Southern Sierra Leone, and to build resilient community structures that prevent violence and harmful practices.
The lead facilitator for the training Detective Inspector Moses 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). during this training different modules were targeted like: Understanding the Digital Threat Landscape | Cyber threats in Sierra Leone | Cybercrime Act 2021 | Group Threat Mapping Activity. Safe Communications & Data Protection | Signal, VPN, Password Manager, 2FA Setup, Hands-On Installation Exercise.: Physical Security for Defenders Security assessment of homes and offices, Field safety & movement security, WAVES office security setup review | Small group scenario activity and Introduction to Psychosocial Well-being | Emotional impact of HRD work | Signs of burnout, stress & trauma.
At closure of the two days program, participants tendered a lot of immense questions to the lead facilitator. The participants appreciated Inspector Ganda for impacting their knowledge on cyber-crimes, as they are victims, with this, they whole heartedly promised cascading this good news to various communities they find themselves in Sierra Leone.
