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Women's Commission for Refugee Women & Children

 

http://www.womenscommission.org/

 

The Future of Sierra Leone

 

A Women's Commission delegation recently visited Sierra Leone, where we looked at educational and economic opportunities for out-of-school youth.

http://www.womenscommission.org/special/sierraleone.php

Focus on Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone is still recovering from a brutal eleven-year civil war that ended in 2002—a war that left 50,000 people dead and displaced 2 million, nearly half of its population. Most of the combatants were children and young people, who were forced to commit serious human rights violations, including terrorizing civilians and amputating limbs. Rape was endemic.

Sierra Leone is ranked lowest in the world on the UN Human Development Index. One in eight women dies during pregnancy or childbirth, compared to one in 8,000 in the developed world. And one in four children dies before reaching his or her fifth birthday.

As Sierra Leone moves out of a post-conflict period, there will likely be a drop in financing. Forty percent of its budget is currently dependent on foreign donors. Yet Sierra Leone needs resources more than ever to address many of the root causes that gave rise to the war—including the marginalization of and lack of opportunity for youth.

Learn more about the situation in Sierra Leone:

Youth Vulnerable

The Women’s Commission traveled to Sierra Leone in February 2008 as part of its three-year global research and advocacy project for displaced out-of-school youth. Without access to school and with few economic opportunities or skills, young people are often left idle and are more vulnerable to sexual abuse, economic exploitation and recruitment into armed groups. Less than one-third of females over age 10 can read and write. Seventy percent of youth are unemployed or underemployed.

Sixty-two percent of girls marry before age 18. Pregnant girls and young mothers generally drop out of school to care for children. Poverty also forces young people to work to support their families rather than attend school. Although primary school is “free,” many families cannot afford related costs for uniforms, transportation and books.

Glimmers of Hope Amidst the Misery

We found that the most successful youth programs were those that combine education and vocational skills training so young people can earn money while going to school, or learn literacy skills while being apprenticed in a trade. At the moment, most young people survive through petty trade and services, such as selling in markets. Most are not making enough to earn a living or are being trained for gender-stereotyped jobs. There is a disproportionate focus on labor supply, while the demand for these services isn’t enough to absorb these young people.

Another challenge that we came across was that teachers often are paid too little and too late. Teachers are generally paid $30 to $90 a month or volunteer their services. Many of the best teachers prefer to work for nongovernmental organizations that offer higher salaries. Forty percent of teachers are unqualified or uncertified. One exemplary program we found, the Ibis/CREPS Accelerated Learning Program, condenses 6 years of primary school into 3 years for girls who missed it during the war. It is also trains teachers while putting them to work in classrooms, creating a new generation of teachers. Learn more about what the Women’s Commission is doing with INEE to address challenges around teacher compensation during and after crises.

 





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