Campaign for Human Rights & Development International (CHRDI), with funding from the European Union through International IDEA, organises engagement with youth, persons with disabilities, religious leaders and market women on social accountability and electoral justice. Why is this engagement important is because the government often does not engage marginalised groups," Abdul Fatoma, Chief Executive Officer CHRDI
Persons With Disabilities with multiple needs had access to specialised schools, but it was difficult to transition to mainstream educational systems," Fatoma.
Money has overshadowed the power of authorities in the community and the nation. The two important bodies with social mobilisation capital are the Chiefs and the Religious Leaders, and we need them to do us right. Between the ages of 37 and 50, becoming a professional in academia is challenging, yet professional technical people are widely available.
Chief Country Coordinator of Network AID Africa, commend International IDEAS through the European Union for funding CHRDI engagement on electoral justice and social accountability with youth, civil society, market women, traditional authorities and persons with disabilities. He calls for a more direct engagement with illiterate persons and the need to support inclusive hearing impaired communication programming, which Network AID Africa is soliciting support for - (bridging the speech impairment communication gap)
Haja Rabiatu - Secretary General Market Women Association
As a body, our communication to our market women is non-political. We lost four chairladies in 2023, and their children are not being taken care of as promised. Not all market women are members of our association.
Chief Kaibeleh Benga - Council of Tribal Heads Deputy Secretary General
I am sure the majority present here might be entering the peace museum for the first time. The majority are unaware of the atrocities committed. Our role as Chiefs is to make peace in the community. He mentioned the " traditional norm of name-calling (name-calling is a tradition where men scold their wives for mentioning men they believe the wife must have intimate affairs with)" which he described as humiliation. Our responsibility is to appoint a sub-chief in the community.
Mohamed Kunta mentioned a friend's deteriorating condition due to drugs, who once studied him in university. "One of the biggest issues, we have is a system that ignites violence" The people who ignite violence are a small set of people in the community. Youth and women are the most vulnerable to election violence. He encourages young people to be serious in elections. Young people occupied 80% of the marketplace.
Traditional secret societies and religious groups are cohabiting in the same community outside of elections, so why can't political party people? He asked.
"The youth are the decision-makers as they make and unmake leaders. Election is not a day event, it is a process; that's why we are here to better understand what works during the last election and what doesn't". International IDEAS Representative
