UPR Sexual Rights Database

National Report:
Para 26) ... The Ministry of Health supported the Free Malaria Treatment Program for all age groups, as well as the Tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS programmes ...

Para 27) Sierra Leone has increased the number of testing sites for HIV/AIDS Anti-rectroviral Therapy (ART) from 556 in 2011 to 689 in 2012, with the number of pregnant women tested for HIV/AIDS rising from 138,000 in 2011 to 224,000 in 2012. The coverage for prophylaxis is 74%. The 2011 HIV/AIDS Commission Act makes it an offence to deny a person access to employment or to an educational institution on the basis of their HIV status. Alongside this, HIV positive personnel are serving in the security sector and an anti-stigmatization law is also being enforced. Several workplaces have adopted and mainstreamed National HIV/AIDS policy ...

Para 81) ... In addition to FHC, free malaria treatment for all age groups is provided in all government healthcare facilities, including the treatment for tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS ...

Stakeholder Summary:
Para 25) ICAAD noted that the HIV/AIDS Commission Act was passed in 2011, making it illegal to deny employment or education based on HIV status.

"""National Report:
Para 5) ... The review of the 1991 Constitution is on-going, with key issues such as ... gender discrimination, taking the lead in the debate.

Para 6) ... There has also been progress in promoting human rights, gender equality, youth development, addressing corruption, law reform, and the ratification of treaties, as well as in handing out a presidential apology to women for harms they suffered and reparations for victims, as recommended by the TRC ...

Para 7) However, the implementation of the TRC recommendations is still ongoing: ... the repeal of sections (27(4)(d) and (e) of the Constitution which are discriminatory against women, the enactment of the 30% quota for women ...

Para 8) There are some recommendations that we have under consideration whist some have not been implemented, such as ... the request that the Government of Sierra ... create a Gender Commission

Para 21) Sierra Leone is a firm believer in advancing gender issues and is still working towards the promulgation of the 30% quota bill; the Agenda Prosperity has the empowerment of women as its 8th Pillar. The concerned Ministry namely, the Ministry of Social Welfare, Gender and Children Affairs (MSWGCA) has since the last review, implemented a National Gender Strategic Plan. A National Steering Committee was set up for the implementation of the National Action Plan on Security Council Resolutions 1325 and 1820.

Para 48) In the case of the sister resolutions on 1325 ad 1820, the Ministry has transformed the National Taskforce for the development of the SILNAP on 1325 and 1820 into a National Steering Committee for full implementation. The Ministry has concluded a second phase of the Gender and Security Sector Reform Project aimed at building the capacity of stakeholders and rural women for their engagement in security sector apparatus at the local level.

Para 52) The GOSL has taken affirmative action for the improvement of women's participation in public life through the appointment of several women in key leadership positions in the country. Positions taken by women include; (the immediate past) Chief Justice, Solicitor General, Administrator-Registrar General, Commissioner General of National Revenue Authority, Commissioner of Law Reform Commission, Auditor General, Commissioners of National Elections Commission including the former Chief Electoral Commissioner, Ministers and Deputy Ministers of Government, Honourable Members of Parliament, Ambassadors, Heads of Chanceries, Executive Secretaries, Commissioners of Human Rights Commission, Heads of Agencies and Parastatals, among others. The Government has enshrined in the Agenda for Prosperity the enactment of the legislation on a minimum 30% quota for women at all levels of governance positions.

Para 78) ... As reported by the School Census Report and the 2013 Country Status Report on Education, gender parity has been achieved at the pre-primary level and is almost achieved at the primary school level. Gender parity is increasing rapidly at the junior and senior secondary school levels and enrolment is increasing at a remarkable rate. The ratio of girls to boys at the different levels are as follows:
- Pre-primary GPI: 1.04 (2010); 1.08 (2011)
- Primary GPI: 0.94 (2010); 0.98 (2011)
- Junior Sec. GPI: 0.80 (2010); 0.89 (2011)
- Senior Sec. GPI: 0.59 (2010); 0.73 (2011)

Para 80) The GOSL is cognizant of the fact that education is the key to development and has reflected this view in some key pillars of the Agenda for Prosperity (Accelerating Human Development; Labour and Employment strategy; Social Protection and Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment). In the Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment pillar of the AFP, measures are being put in place to ensure that women's access to education is enhanced, especially the retention of girls in schools and adult literacy. Special programs such as scholarship schemes are available for girls taking up science and technology courses and free tuition is provided for girls up to junior secondary school level and this is intended to contribute to gender parity

Stakeholder Summary:
Para 21) ... The Gender Equality Bill, which provides for a minimum 30% representation of women in Parliament, local councils and ministries, has yet to be enacted ...

Para 54) TCC noted that a disproportionately low number of women stood as candidates in the 2012 elections, as one of the principal shortfalls of the electoral process. The participation of women candidates was impeded by high registration fees, intimidation, societal attitudes, and a history of electoral violence ...

Para 49) The GOSL has made several efforts through the MSWGCA in raising awareness on gender equality issues across the country. As set out in the Agenda for Prosperity, particularly Pillar 8, the GOSL has identified flagship projects to undertake. These include the development and passage of a minimum 30% quota for women in governance at all levels; the establishment of the Women's Commission and the development of a comprehensive policy on gender equality and women's empowerment. The Ministry has begun initiating actions on these flagship projects and intends to accomplish them before the end of 2014. It has also appointed a gender focal point in each ministry and governmental agency, ensuring that the appointee is a permanent member of staff at a senior level. Gender mainstreaming is a new plan of action and is also a criterion for any evaluation by the Minister of MSWGCA."

National Report:
Para 16) Sierra Leone has signed all of the nine fundamental human rights treaties and has ratified seven of them. It has further reported on five of the seven ratified: CAT, CEDAW, CRC, CERD, and CCPR as recently as 2014, when Sierra Leone reported to three treaty bodies.

National Report:
Para 65) Further to recommendations of the European Union Election Mission in 2012, NEC has set up a committee encompassing various institutions of Government. As recommended by the EU Mission, NEC has reverted to the district tally centre process; and the same is embedded in the NEC Strategic Plan 2020-2024, which was launched on 18 November 2020. Regarding the conduct of effective and sustained sensitisation and awareness-raising campaign on gender mainstreaming, NEC has established departments for sensitisation, gender and disability departments.
Para 97) Through the Ministry of Finance (MoF), the GoSL continues to provide budgetary support to the Human Rights Commission of Sierra Leone. For example, as part of its deliverables in 2019, the MoF strengthened and supported the HRCSL institutional capacity by disbursing a total sum of Le 14,752,294,000.00 towards the HRCSL’s responsiveness to human rights complaints, improved human rights culture through public education and strengthening the monitoring and research functions of the Commission. The GoSL continues to meet its obligations under the Paris Principles by ensuring that the HRCSL is adequately resourced with funds and gender-balanced personnel;

National Report:
Para 108) LAB provides free legal advice and representation in civil and criminal matters for indigents especially women, Ebola survivors and those in rural communities who face real prospects of discrimination. In this regard, the work of LAB contributes to enforcing laws and policies that promote gender equality. Between May 2015 to December 2018 a total of 214,476 people (including 39,834 children and 30,009 women) including non-Sierra Leoneans benefited from services provided by LAB.
Para 109) LAB introduced Alternative Dispute Resolution or Mediation mechanisms in March 2016. The service is provided in every district in the country following the recruitment and deployment of 35 Paralegals. LAB recorded 97,838 people benefited from ADR services since its inception in 2016. This accounts for 46% of beneficiaries of the scheme. A total of 48,452 people have benefitted from ADR in 2018. This accounts for 45% of beneficiaries of the scheme for that period. From that total figure, 23,789 children benefitted from the ADR service in 2018. This accounts for 49% of beneficiaries.
Para 110) The GoSL is pleased to report that the ADR scheme is helping to reduce the pressure on the police and the courts’ time. This is because community-level disputes in civil matters which were reported to the police or courts for adjudication are now reported to LAB mediation centres. Moreover, the police and the courts are also referring civil matters to LAB for mediation. This scheme has contributed to improving access to justice.

Stakeholder Summary:
Para 37) JS8 regretted that women detained are not offered legal advise, and due to strong patriarchal cultures, they may lack the skills necessary to bring a complaint and enforces their rights.