The second mission to Sierra Leone was timely as it coincided with the formal launch of the 2007 elections campaign season. This election is the second since the end of the brutal civil war, but the first to be organized by the government and without the presence of United Nations peacekeepers. The country’s recent move from a system of proportional representation to a constituency-based system provides an additional challenge, particularly for women interested in holding public office. The proportional electoral system was responsible for the 14% women representation in the outgoing parliament, which causes many to question the effect of the new system on women in parliament. The timing of this training, therefore, was key to increasing the competitiveness of women standing in the upcoming elections.

Hon Miria Matembe, a former member of the Ugandan and African Union Parliaments, as well as former Minister for Ethics and Integrity, facilitated the training. Using her vast practical experiences, she took the women through the key strategies for a successful campaign. Participants, mainly from the three major parties went through practical steps of developing a winning campaign. They also participated in a stimulating role playing session in which each participant was given an opportunity to practice their new skills. Many campaign managers joined their candidates during the training.

The training emphasised preparedness and specific skills for campaigning, including tact in public speaking and the importance of understanding one’s constituency. The women were encouraged to understand the needs of their community through informed research, meetings with opinion leaders, religious leaders, traditional leaders and political party leaders. The participants were also urged to understand how their party manifesto and their own platform of issues coincided.

In addition to understanding the relevant issues, having a competent campaign team was also discussed. The campaign managers present for the sessions were trained on the qualities of a good campaign manager. Among those qualities urged was honesty, as well as a keen understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of their candidates. Hon. Matembe noted that campaign managers should have the ability to make independent decisions and communicate quickly, as well as organize and coordinate resources efficiently.

During the practical sessions, women were instructed on public speaking and fielding questions from constituents and the media. The issues of fundraising and campaign resource management were also addressed. Lastly, the women were given tips on what to do after a successful campaign and upon entering parliament. Through it all, Hon. Matembe emphasised the importance of remaining focused on issues and maintaining links and networks with civil society groups, especially the women’s movement as it will always provide the needed support for advocacy work on women’s issues after the campaign period.