No Progress for Women in Diaspora Political Chapters

There is no development strategy more beneficial to society as a whole…than the one which involves women as central players.
Kofi Annan, former UN Secretary General

Women are absent in leadership positions in the political parties in Sierra Leone; unfortunately, they cannot count on the chapters of those parties in the Diaspora for change. These groups are as resistant to change and repressive to women as their father parties in the country; women in these Diaspora branches are as marginalized as those in the country.

The recent Sierra Leone People’s Party’s North America election of new leaders for 2012 is a glaring evidence of this. Their recent convention in Philadelphia, PA concluded with the (s)election of 15 (out of 17) leaders; only 3 of the elected are female (2 positions were left vacant). Frankly, the only reason women were elected to those 3 positions is because no male contenders wanted to serve in them.

We can see by these positions that women continue to be used by these parties mostly for fund-raising, secretarial duties and organizing events ~ what a SHAME and such a waste of human/women resources.

Based on this election result and the composition of their 2012 Leadership Team, we hereby induct the SLPP-North America in our Hall of SHAME ~ for failing to narrow the gender gap in the USA chapter of their party!

SLPP North America’s New Leaders
Source: The Palm Tree Report