By Fatima Kpaka
Freetown, Sierra Leone – December 10, 2025 The Christian Lawyers Centre (LEGAL LINK), a leading faith-based legal advocacy organization, has issued a national appeal to President Julius Maada Bio, urging legislative action to ban social media use for children under the age of 16 in Sierra Leone.
In a media update released on International Human Rights Day, LEGAL LINK commended President Bio for his leadership roles on the global stage, including his chairmanship of ECOWAS and the UN Committee of Ten, as well as his recent participation in UN Security Council deliberations. The organization praised the President’s efforts in representing Sierra Leone internationally before turning attention to what it described as a pressing domestic concern.
LEGAL LINK highlighted the growing risks posed by unregulated social media exposure among minors, citing alarming increases in online exploitation, grooming, cyberbullying, depression, and anxiety. The group noted that children as young as 8 are being drawn into digital spaces that compromise their emotional maturity, academic performance, and moral development.
“Our children are now being exposed to harmful content, predators, and unrealistic online standards that erode family, community, and religious values,” the statement read.
The organization outlined several proposals for inclusion in a potential law:
- Prohibition of social media accounts for children under 16
- Mandatory age-verification systems for SIM registration and account creation
- Punitive penalties for adults who facilitate underage access
- Nationwide public awareness campaigns on the dangers of early digital exposure
- Integration of digital safety education into school curricula
LEGAL LINK emphasized that Sierra Leone could follow examples from countries such as Australia, which have begun implementing stricter protections for children online. The group argued that such legislation would align with international child-protection standards, including the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child.
Executive Director Rashid Dumbuya Esq, former Commissioner for Human Rights in Sierra Leone, signed the appeal, stressing that the well-being of children is a moral, legal, and national priority.
“On this International Human Rights Day, we humbly and prayerfully appeal for your leadership in ensuring Sierra Leone becomes a safer digital environment for all minors,” Dumbuya stated.
The call has been copied to key stakeholders including the Attorney General, the Speaker of Parliament, the Ministry of Gender and Children’s Affairs, the National Commission for Children, and the Human Rights Commission of Sierra Leone.