ABC-Development Hosts Annual Accountability Policy Dialogue to Strengthen Gender Equality and Social Accountability in Kambia District

Venue: Kambia District Resource Centre, Kambia DistrictProject: Supporting Gender Equality and Social Accountability through a Strengthened Civil Society in Kambia District

ABC-Development convened an Annual Accountability Policy Dialogue at the Kambia District Resource Centre, bringing together duty bearers, rights holders, councillors, government institutions, community stakeholders, civil society representatives, women in governance, youth and persons with disabilities.

The dialogue was organised under the project “Supporting Gender Equality and Social Accountability through a Strengthened Civil Society in Kambia District,” funded by the European Union through Trocaire, the lead partner for the consortium.

A total of 37 participants attended the engagement, comprising 20 women and 17 men, including 2 persons with disabilities.

The dialogue provided a platform for communities and duty bearers to jointly examine service delivery challenges identified through town hall engagements conducted across the four targeted wards.

The primary objective was to promote constructive dialogue between rights holders and duty bearers, identify practical solutions to community concerns, and strengthen accountability around issues affecting women and other vulnerable groups.

The engagement also contributed to the broader objective of strengthening women’s voice, influence and participation in democratic governance in Sierra Leone.

Participants discussed a range of issues affecting communities, particularly women and vulnerable groups. Key areas included:

• Education and challenges affecting schools and learners;

• Health and access to quality health services;

• Women’s empowerment and participation in decision-making;

• Gender equality and inclusion;

• Agricultural development and mechanisation;

• Gender-responsive service delivery;

• Accountability and community participation; and

• Monitoring, evaluation and reporting.

Particular attention was given to the need for increased participation of women in decision-making structures and to strengthening mechanisms that enable communities to raise concerns and hold service providers accountable.

The dialogue benefited from the participation of key government institutions, creating an opportunity for direct engagement between communities and duty bearers.

Representatives included officials from the Teaching Service Commission (TSC), Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education (MBSSE), Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (MAFS), District Health Management Team (DHMT), and Ministry of Gender and Children’s Affairs.

Their participation enabled stakeholders to discuss challenges from different sectors and explore practical responses to issues raised by communities.

One of the key outcomes of the meeting was the development of action points by government institutions and other participants.

Among the agreed actions were:

1. Increased field monitoring visits by relevant MDAs to communities to follow up on identified challenges.

2. Strengthened community reporting and accountability mechanisms, including reporting perpetrators of harmful practices and discouraging informal compromises.

3. Development of appropriate plans by school heads to improve accountability around government education subsidies.

4. Increased prioritisation of community volunteer teachers for government approval.

5. Strengthened reporting of unacceptable practices and exploitation involving teachers to the Teaching Service Commission.

6. Increased participation of women in School Management Committees and other decision-making structures.

7. Promotion of agricultural mechanisation to improve farming and agricultural productivity.

These commitments provide a basis for continued engagement between communities, civil society and duty bearers beyond the dialogue itself.

The dialogue forms part of ABC-Development’s broader commitment to ensuring that women, persons with disabilities, young people and other marginalised groups can meaningfully participate in governance and development processes.

By creating spaces where community members can engage directly with duty bearers, ABC-Development seeks to strengthen citizens’ voices, improve accountability and contribute to more responsive public services.

The organisation continues to advocate for greater representation of women in leadership and decision-making structures, gender-responsive planning and budgeting, and improved attention to issues affecting women in education, health, agriculture, governance and community development.

Following the dialogue, ABC-Development will continue to monitor progress on the agreed commitments and follow up with relevant stakeholders on identified service delivery concerns.

The organisation will also continue documenting project achievements and lessons learned as part of its commitment to transparency, accountability and effective programme implementation.

ABC-Development appreciates the participation and commitment of all duty bearers, community stakeholders, women’s groups, civil society representatives and persons with disabilities who contributed to the dialogue.

Through continued collaboration, government, civil society and communities can work together to strengthen accountability, advance gender equality and build more inclusive and responsive governance systems in Kambia District and beyond.

Project: Supporting Gender Equality and Social Accountability through a Strengthened Civil Society in Kambia District

Funding: European Union, through Trocaire

Implemented by: ABC-Development