UPR Sexual Rights Database

National Report:
Para 22) The GOSL has taken further steps with regards to Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and has signed an agreement with the traditional heads banning the initiation of girls below the age of 18. There has also been policy measures put forward by the GOSL concerning the rights of the child including: the National Child Welfare Policy and Alternative Care Policy, and a policy that allows for a Family Support Unit within the Sierra Leone Police.

Para 26) Paramount in this drive is the improvement in women's healthcare issues through the implementation of a major health care policy, the Free Health Care (FHC) initiative for pregnant women [and] lactating mothers ...

Para 29) To address the causes of maternal mortality, the Campaign for the Accelerated Reduction of Maternal Mortality (CARMMA) was launched in March 2010 with a threefold strategy; to prevent unwanted pregnancies, and to prevent and treat complications. Family planning was identified as a key strategy for reducing maternal mortality and was integrated into the FHC initiative and into district plans. It is provided free in all government health facilities. A substantial reduction in fatality rates has been recorded since the inception of the FHC.

Para 43) On the issue of FGM, it is culturally entrenched in the Sierra Leone but efforts are being made to address the prevalence of this practice. One of the flagship projects in the Agenda for Prosperity, especially Pillar 8 on: 'Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment', is the enactment of law against underage initiation rites of passage for girls. It is hoped that this can be an entry point for the elimination of the practice in the long run. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed at the local level with the Soweis to eliminate under-18 initiations. Massive sensitization campaigns continue with constructive advocacy and engagement with the Council of Soweis and other FGM stakeholders. The expected outcome aims to create an alternative means of livelihood for Soweis especially through access to micro-credit and business skills

Para 50) The GOSL recognizes that some traditional practices have proven harmful and violates the basic rights of individuals. It is therefore advocating, also as a nation, on the importance of the age limit set in the Child Right's Act (18). This enactment was promulgated as a deterrent to FGM and Child Early and Forced Marriage (CEFM). However, the Law Reform Commission is still working on the amendment of the Customary Marriage Act which currently allows marriage below 18, but with the consent of the parent/guardian. It is hoped that by the third cycle, this law will be in conformity with the age of maturity or consent, that is: 18 years

Para 81) ... The first National Health Sector Strategic Plan (NHSSP) 2010-2015 was adopted to develop the country's health sector. The strategies contained in the plan especially focus on the Free Health Care (FHC) initiative for pregnant women, lactating mothers and children below five years of age ...

Para 83) A Performance Based Financing (PBF) Scheme was introduced at the PHU level in April 2011 and at the hospital level in April 2012. All public PHUs and some private clinics are currently eligible to receive PBFs. PBF for primary healthcare focuses on six key areas of reproductive and child health interventions which are assessed for performance adjustment, namely; family planning, antenatal consultations, safe deliveries, postnatal consultations ...

UN Compilation:
Para 62) The Human Rights Committee welcomed the introduction in 2010 of free health care for lactating mothers and young children.

Stakeholder Summary:
Para 60) JS3 stated that the Government is still supporting the 2010 Free Health Care Initiative for children under five years, lactating mothers and pregnant women. WV stated that the scale and severity of the Ebola outbreak has significantly devastated Sierra Leone's health system which was ill-equipped and resourced to handle such an outbreak ...

National Report:
Para 43) ... Massive sensitization campaigns continue with constructive advocacy and engagement with the Council of Soweis and other FGM stakeholders. The expected outcome aims to create an alternative means of livelihood for Soweis especially through access to micro-credit and business skills.

National Report:
Para 11) A lot of advancements were made in reforming laws and safeguarding the rights of the people. Several legislations were also promulgated during that period such as the Persons with Disability Act 2011, Right to Access to Information Act 2013 and the Sexual Offences Act 2012 ... and the Customary Marriage Act 2007, which is in parts contradictory with regards to the age limit and the principle of consent

Para 21) ... In 2012 a National Action Plan on Gender-Based Violence and the National Referral Protocol on Gender-Based Violence was developed and launched. The President went a step further on the 8th March 2013, by declaring "Violence against women is violence against the State".

Para 23) ... The MOD/RSLAF has also set up a gender-based violence (GBV) desk in the office of the directorate of Gender and Equal Opportunity and a welfare office at HQ Joint Force Command to address GBV related issues. Sierra Leone thanks its development partners, both international and national, for ensuring the best practices in the MOD/RSLAF ...

Para 35) ... The Family Support Unit (FSU) deals with sexual and gender-based violence committed against women and children. The Moyamba Division has been the pilot division for the FSU, sponsored by the former Justice Sector Development Project (JSDP). All divisions now have a FSU. An MOU was signed with chiefs and the Family Support Unit (FSU) to report and assist carers of child abuse victims ...

Para 48) ... Additionally, the MSWGCA developed and launched the National Action Plan on Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and the National Referral Protocol on Gender-Based Violence in 2012. The implementation of the National Referral Protocol on GBV continues all across the country.

Para 53) ... The MSWGCA has during the period under review, collaborated with the International Rescue Committee, UNDP, and AMNET-SL in providing trainings and awareness-raising drives on sexual gender-based violence (SGBV) for the law enforcement agencies and other stakeholders including the Local Councils and other service providers for SGBV cases. Gender Durbars have also been conducted with brigades, battalions, units and other departments across the RSLAF to discuss gender issues, including women's empowerment, and to build their capacity to address GBV issues. GBV and Teenage Pregnancy Workshops have been conducted in military barracks and communities. The Directorate of Gender and Equal Opportunity is also networking with gender stakeholders, institutions and civil society groups to share experience, best practices and lessons learnt, in order to build capacity to deal with GBV issues within the Force.

Para 81) In addition to FHC, free malaria treatment for all age groups is provided in all government healthcare facilities, including ... for survivors of gender-based violence (GBV).

UN Compilation:
Para 11) ... The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women and the Committee against Torture welcomed the adoption in 2012 of the National Referral Protocol on Gender-based Violence and the National Plan of Action on Gender-based Violence.

Stakeholder Summary:
Para 21) AI noted that Sierra Leone has taken initiatives to improve its human rights framework, such as enactment of the Sexual Offences Act 2012 ...

Para 43) JS2 noted that in the first cycle report, several recommendations were presented to tackle gender based violence and sexual abuse of women and children in Sierra Leone. Though Sierra Leone has made some progress in this area by passing the Sexual Offences Act in 2012 and the three gender Acts in 2007, lack of effective implementation and enforcement of these laws continue to make particularly girls and women vulnerable to such crimes ...

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.