Feminist Peace Network

Sexist Harassment of Female Candidates in Sierra Leone (Sound Familiar?)

Just in case you thought harassing female candidates (not to mention the wives of candidates) was just an American problem, funny thing–check out this story from Sierra Leone:

“There have been several reported cases of serious harassment from male opponents by female candidates contesting the forthcoming local council elections.

However, it is pertinent to re-echo that Sierra Leone is a signatory to the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) which defines discrimination as “…any distinction, exclusion or restriction made on the basis of sex which has the effect or purpose of impairing or nullifying the recognition, enjoyment or exercise by women, irrespective of their marital status, on a basis of equality of men and women, of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the POLITICAL, economic, social, cultural, civil or any other field.” It is now becoming intrinsically clear that candidates from the governing All Peoples Congress (APC) are the major perpetrators unleashing terror on female candidates.

In various parts of the country, women candidates have reported harassment by some unscrupulous and unpopular male candidates who believe they should use violence against their female opponents to scare them away or get them off the race.

It is nonetheless disappointing that neither the government nor the ministry of social welfare, gender and children’s affairs have released a statement condemning such acts even though the current spate of violence and harassment of opposition is a recipe for disaster.”

I’m trying to imagine a governmental body in the U.S. condemning such harassment in the electioneering here…no sorry, just can’t conjure that one up. It is interesting how CEDAW impacts the way this issue is framed as opposed to this country where the pundits try to blame the outrage at election sexism on us pesky feminists.