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. Orientations on the 2011 HIV/AIDS Commission Act have been held with provisions within the Act (part VIII sub-section) prohibiting prosecuting a woman on the basis of mother-to-child transmission of HIV before or during birth of the child or through breast-feeding. There has been an increase in sensitization on the radio and TV, as well as the integration of HIV/AIDS in other programs (e.g. Teenage Pregnancy and Family Planning), as well as in religious (Sierra Leone Inter Religious AIDS Network) and private sector initiatives (Business Coalition against AIDS in Sierra Leone) are yielding results. The awareness level in the country is over 90% (BSS 2011). In terms of investment in Anti-Retro Viral drugs (ARVs), 40% of the 20,000 people who are in need of ARVs are receiving treatment. Based on these projections, the Global Fund has approved $6.5 Million over the next three years to procure ARVs. Another $2 million has been approved for the procurement of HIV test kits. The Ministry of Health and Sanitation (MOHS) is now putting together a resource mobilization plan to raise funds for HIV/AIDS programs sustainability after 2015.

Para 54) The RSLAF continues to benefit from US Government-sponsored courses for top and middle-level ranking military officers on the Law of Armed Conflict and Human Rights. The US Government has also offered training courses to the RSLAF in the areas of HIV/AIDS Planning and Policy Development, GBV and Women's Health. Participants for such courses included both male and female military officers. The RSLAF Peace Support Operation Policy has a provision relating to the training of personnel on the Law of Armed Conflict and Human Rights issues as a condition for pre-deployment.

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 ...

Para 85) Aggressive campaigns on HIV prevention have been conducted. Testing sites have increased from 556 in 2011 to 689 in 2012, and the number of pregnant women tested has increased from 138,000 in 2011 to 224,000 in 2012. There has been an improvement in male condom branding by facilitating an MOU between the UNFPA and Aids Healthcare Foundation. The MOHS is now putting together a resource mobilization plan to raise funds for HIV and AIDS programs sustainability after 2015.

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 33) GoSL plans to ratify several Optional Protocols in the coming years. An objective of the on-going constitutional review process is, inter alia, to also incorporate some of the principles of international human rights espoused by the said Optional Protocols into the new constitution and thus make them as part of the supreme laws of the land. The Government is seeking donor support to enable it to prepare and submit the outstanding reports. A timetable for the submission of the reports supra is to be drawn in 2021 which will guide the GoSL.

Stakeholder Summary:
Para 42) International Service for Human Rights (JS9) stated that journalists, Human Rights Defenders, Lesbian, Gays, Bisexual, Transsexuals and Intersex activists have been subjected to attacks, arbitrary detention and other forms of intimidation.

National Report:
Para 28) Launched in December 2018, the Office of the First Lady led a rigorous campaign titled ‘Hands Off Our Girls’. As part of a national response against sexual and gender-based violence and related violations in the country, the Sexual Offences Act of 2012 was amended. Also, the first ‘Sexual Offences Model Court’ has been set up and launched on 24 July 2020 to try sexual violence offenders. In further fulfilment of the Government’s mandate and its determination to address this heinous crime, the Office of the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice has established a team to process speedy trial of cases involving sexual and gender-based violence and related violations. Also, State Counsel have been instructed to oppose bail from perpetrators of sexual offences and to ensure that convicted sex offenders do not benefit from the power of the prerogative of mercy.
Para 29) There has been a sexual amendment (Amendment) Act, 2019. The Act increases the punishment for conviction of rape or sexual offences of minors. Before this, there was a state of emergency on rape and other offences in 2019.
Para 39) Some of the recommendations by CRC, which are accepted include, … the criminalisation of FGM.
Para 40) As demonstrated in the national reports Sierra Leone submitted to the First and Second Cycle reviews, significant work has been undertaken, including the passing of the undermentioned instruments, to implement many of the recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) and to provide legislative safeguards for human rights: … • The Sexual Offences Act 2012; as amended by the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act, 2019;
Para 59) There is a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Government and the ‘Sowei’ Council is in place as a strategy to ending FGM, which calls for girls under the age of 18 years not to be circumcised. The Government is using the free quality school education as an entry point to sensitise girls of the harms of FGM and eventually eliminating its prevalence. The Government is also working closely with campaigners on ending FGM to engage the practitioners and to work towards finalisation of the National Strategy for Reduction of FGM. Despite the MoU that children should consent to initiation, the practice is on-going regardless.
Para 60) In this regard, much has been done through collaborative engagement between state and non-state actors with the MGCA taking the lead in reaching to the general public on the continuous promotion of awareness against FGM in the Country. Girls and women aged between 15–49 years who have undergone FGM dropped from 89% in 2011 to 86.1 % in 2019.
Para 104) As a preventive measure, the GoSL formulated the National Male Involvement Strategy for the Prevention of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence. It aims at, among other things, eradicating sexual and gender-based violence, promoting gender equality and upholding the rights and dignity of women and girls. The strategy adopts a socially transformative approach that focuses on the participation of men and boys as change agents and champions for protecting women and girls in their families, communities, schools and workplaces. It treats men not just as perpetrators of violence but as allies in changing power relations and systems in society that sustain gender inequality and violence.
Para 105) In 2019, the Government reviewed the Sexual Offences Act of 2012 and enacted the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 2019 to increase the maximum penalty for Rape and Sexual Penetration of a child from 15 years’ imprisonment to a sentence of life imprisonment and introduced the new offence of aggravated sexual assault and an alternative conviction of aggravated sexual assault. Also, a ‘Sexual Offences Model Court’ has been set up to try sexual violence offenders. In 2020, the GoSL instituted a free health line for rape and SGBV victims to report the incidences. Between April and October, 2020, a total of 48,147 calls were processed.
Para 106) In further fulfilment of the Government’s mandate and its determination to address this heinous crime, the Office of Attorney-General and Minister of Justice has established a team to process speedy trial of cases involving sexual and gender-based violence and related violations. Also, State Counsel have been instructed to oppose bail from perpetrators of sexual offences and to ensure that convicted sex offenders do not benefit from the power of prerogative of mercy. The FSU of the SLP is being strengthened to adequately respond to sexual and gender-based violence cases.
Para 107) From 11 to 20 May 2017, the Decentralisation Secretariat in partnership with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) held consultative meetings with all 149 Paramount Chiefs in the country. These meetings addressed issues of violence against children and women. The Paramount Chiefs prepared action plans on how to prevent violence against children and women and promoting children welfare in their communities.
Para 118) Some violations have always been inherent within the structures of the society for decades, predicated upon dubious traditional practices and beliefs. FGM, as a harmful practice on the girl child, is difficult to eliminate or legislate out of existence because of the traditional and cultural belief systems.
Para 119) Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) which is a perennial source of human rights violations is itself a complex mix of traditional beliefs and poverty that are experienced more by women, particularly by women in the rural areas and within the urban-rural enclaves.

UN Compilation:
Para 20) The United Nations country team noted that traditional harmful practices, such as female genital mutilation, remained prevalent in Sierra Leone. While noting successful efforts to include practitioners of female genital mutilation in the fight against such mutilation, the Committee on the Rights of the Child was seriously concerned that female genital mutilation was still not prohibited in law for children.
Para 21) The United Nations country team regretted that, despite measures taken, secret societies continued to practise female genital mutilation, including on underage girls. It noted that in 2019, following reports of misuse of secret societies, the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development had banned the activities of secret societies.
Para 53) The United Nations country team commended Sierra Leone for the steps taken to address the increasing rate of reported cases of sexual and gender-based violence, including the launch of the “Hands off our girls” campaign in 2018, the development of a national strategy for the involvement of males in the prevention of and response to sexual and gender-based violence, and the establishment of a toll-free hotline to report cases of such violence. It also noted the assistance provided to victims.
Para 56) The United Nations country team remained concerned over the continuous prevalence of rape and other forms of sexual violence, including against children, and about the prolonged investigation and trial of cases reported to the police.

Stakeholder Summary:
Para 32) European Centre for Law and Justice (ECLJ) was alarmed that, despite efforts deployed by the Government, Sierra Leone still had one of the highest rates of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in the word, with an estimated 90% of women and girls having suffered mutilation. Plan International (PI) regretted the lack of legislation criminalizing FGM. According to JS2, CUMG-SL and ECLJ, Sierra Leone continued to face challenges in combating FGM because it is rooted in cultural and traditional practices. ECLJ emphasized the negative role of the Bondo society who encouraged and carried out FGM ceremonies, and noted that, while initiations are illegal, there was still not a law against the pervasive practice of FGM itself in force.
Para 34) JS2 and JS3 welcomed that the Sexual Offenses Act was amended in 2019 to include additional sexual crimes and increased penalties for perpetrators of sexual violence against children. JS2 also welcomed the establishment of the Family Support Unit of the Police; the free toll line, the One-Stop-Centres, and related awareness raising campaigns. However, the organisations highlighted that significant issues should still to be addressed, such as rape, commercial child sexual exploitation.
Para 35) CUMG-SL stated that, while policies have been developed to combat sexual abuse against girls in school, those policies were challenged by inadequate support to ensure effective implementation.

National Report:
Para 49) The SLP has adopted an accelerated promotion policy for women and offers women officers' priority for training opportunities to participate in international peacekeeping missions. In February 2019, RSLAF conducted a 300 all-female recruitment and training programme. This is a cadet officer programme that offers women, especially those with Professional Qualifications (such as Medicine, Law, Accounting, Vocational Skills, etc.) to join the officer ranks of RSLAF.
Para 50) The Local Government Service Commission, the body responsible for the Local Councils has made strides incorporating women as pillars in the Commission. The Commission has five (5) Commissioners, three (3) of whom are women. The Local Government Act, 2004 stipulated that 70% of Ward Committee Members should be women.
Para 51) On 3 December 2020, the GoSL launched the Gender Equality and Women Empowerment Policy. The policy aims at changing social norms and perspectives and at the same time guaranteeing equality, inclusion, and access to rights, resources and opportunity for all.
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 66) GoSL launched the Gender Equality and Women Empowerment policy on 3 December 2020. Even before the launch of the policy, the Government had already taken deliberate actions to ensure gender parity. The MFAIC, the Deputy Inspector General of Police, the MGCA, the Ministry of Fisheries, the Ministry of Tourism and Cultural Affairs and the Auditor General, are some of the highest offices of the land held by women.
Para 67) Proportion of seats held by women in national parliament increased from 12.4% in 2012 to 12.9% in 2018. The proportion of female mayors and local councillors and chairpersons increased from 18% to 28.6% over the same period.
Para 68) According to Cluster 5 of Sierra Leone’s MTNDP, 2019-2023, a key target is to ensure that more women are in a leadership position than there were in 2018 when the plan was launched.
Para 69) The Government continues to appoint women to senior governance positions. In line with the Chiefs of Defence Staff Conference at the UN in New York concerning 20% increase in female intake in RSLAF, 328 special female officer cadets were recruited.

UN Compilation:
Para 4) The Peacebuilding Support Office of the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs stated that the Peacebuilding Fund had been active in Sierra Leone since 2007, with $62 million allocated to date towards initiatives in support of …, young people and women’s participation and empowerment …

Stakeholder Summary:
Para 63) The-Carter Center (CC) regretted that women candidates have limited opportunities to participate in political processes, and that only two of 17 presidential candidates were female, and represented only 12.5% of all parliamentarian candidates. According toCC, the low number of female nominees reflected a lack of political will to improve gender equality in public institutions. It further noted that a Gender Equality Bill had been in the drafting process since 2013, and has not yet been made into law.

National Report:
Para 34) The Child Rights Act 2007 which is a domestication of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) ensures as priority, the survival and protection of children from any form of harm, as well as the right of children to development to their fullest potential and ensures their participation in decision-making especially on issues affecting them. Sensitization on the Child Rights Act was carried out by the Ministry and various partners. Child Protection Committees were set up at national, regional and district levels to coordinate and monitor child protection activities.