Sierra Leone

https://www.ohchr.org/en/hr-bodies/upr/sl-index

As of February 2026, Sierra Leone is navigating a "reformist" era marked by aggressive legislative updates. While the government has earned international praise for modernizing its laws, the country struggles with the implementation of these rights on the ground, particularly regarding police conduct and the persistence of harmful traditional practices.

1. Significant Legal Milestones

Sierra Leone has recently passed several "landmark" laws that have shifted its human rights standing globally.

Abolition of the Death Penalty: Since the 2021 Abolition of the Death Penalty Act, capital punishment has been replaced by life imprisonment. In 2025, the government began a review to ratify the Second Optional Protocol to the ICCPR to ensure this change remains permanent.
Prohibition of Child Marriage Act (2024): This historic law criminalized all forms of marriage for anyone under 18, including traditional and religious unions. As of 2026, the first high-profile prosecutions of those aiding such marriages are moving through the courts.
Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment (GEWE) Act: Institutionalized in 2022, this law mandates a 30% quota for women in elective and appointive positions. In 2026, women hold roughly 30.4% of parliamentary seats, up from 12% in 2021.

2. Women’s Rights and "Harmful Practices"

Despite legislative wins, Sierra Leone remains a site of deep tension between modern law and traditional culture.

FGM (Female Genital Mutilation): Sierra Leone remains one of the few countries in the region where FGM is not explicitly criminalized. During the January 2026 UN Pre-sessions, the Human Rights Commission of Sierra Leone (HRCSL) urged the government to amend the Child Rights Act 2025 to finally ban FGM for minors.
Obstetric Violence: A major November 2025 Human Rights Watch report titled "No Money, No Care" highlighted systemic abuses in maternal healthcare, where women are often detained in hospitals or denied care due to an inability to pay, despite the government's "Free Quality Healthcare" policy.
Gender Budgeting: For the 2026 fiscal year, the Ministry of Finance has integrated a mandatory "Gender Budgeting" approach for 10 pilot ministries to ensure public funds are used to address gender inequalities.

3. LGBTQ+ Rights: The "Buggery" Law

Sierra Leone maintains some of the most restrictive laws regarding same-sex relationships in West Africa, though enforcement is rare.

Criminalization: Consensual same-sex sexual activity between men remains illegal under the Offences Against the Person Act 1861. It is technically punishable by life imprisonment.
Employment Protections: In a rare positive shift, the Employment Act (2023) officially bans discrimination in the workplace based on "sexuality" and prohibits unfair dismissal based on an employee's sexual orientation.
Societal Hostility: Public visibility for LGBTQ+ individuals remains dangerous. In 2025, activists reported increased instances of "community-led" harassment, and several prominent advocates were forced into hiding following death threats.

4. Freedom of Expression and Digital Rights

While the 2020 repeal of the criminal libel law was a major victory, new "digital" threats have emerged in 2026.

Cyber Security and Crime Act: Authorities increasingly use this 2021 law to target online dissent. In June 2025, a lawyer was arrested and detained overnight for "online stalking" after criticizing the President on social media.
Access to Information: The 15th Press Freedom Report (January 2026) noted that while the Right to Access Information Act exists, public bodies frequently delay or deny information requests, citing vague "national security" or "confidentiality" reasons.
Police Brutality: Journalists covering political protests in late 2025 reported multiple instances of physical assault and equipment seizure by security forces, leading to calls for a "Media Rights" chapter to be added to the ongoing Constitutional Review.

5. Constitutional Review (2026)

As of early 2026, the government is engaged in a pivotal Constitutional Review process.

Youth and Women's Advocacy: Groups like the Young Women in Governance Network are pushing for the new Constitution to include enforceable rights for equal pay and the right for women to pass citizenship to their children—a right currently restricted in some contexts.
Third-Term Rejection: In January 2026, the government officially reaffirmed that the constitutional changes would not include a "third-term" agenda for the presidency, aiming to soothe fears of democratic backsliding.