By HRCSL Communications Team
Makeni, Sierra Leone — In a bid to assess the status of human rights commitments, the Human Rights Commission of Sierra Leone (HRCSL), with support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), convened a consultative session on Tuesday, 26th August 2025, at the Bombali District Council Hall in Makeni. The engagement brought together 22 representatives from Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) as well as Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) to gather evidence-based data on the implementation of the third cycle Universal Periodic Review (UPR) recommendations.
The session, organized through HRCSL’s Directorate of Treaty Body Reporting and International Mechanisms, aims to inform the Commission’s alternative report to the United Nations Human Rights Council, as outlined in Resolution 16/21 and Decision 17/119. This report will complement the State’s official submission and help verify progress on accepted recommendations.
Peter Conteh, Chairman of the Bombali District Human Rights Committee, described the engagement as timely and empowering for civil society. “This engagement has built the capacity of CSOs to hold the government accountable on their commitments,” he said, adding that CSOs will now use the recommendations to raise awareness at the community level.
Sulaiman Kamara of the Polio Persons Development Association in Makeni acknowledged government efforts but emphasized the need for greater inclusion of persons with disabilities (PwDs). He called for stronger advocacy around access to social services and enforcement of rights under the Persons with Disability Act of 2011 and the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD).
HRCSL Vice Chairperson Victor Idrissa Lansana Esq. noted that Sierra Leone is scheduled for its next UPR assessment in 2026. He stressed that while the UPR is a voluntary peer review, states have a moral obligation to implement accepted recommendations. Lansana said the engagement was designed to collect credible data on whether Sierra Leone has taken concrete steps—through laws, policies, and institutional reforms—to fulfill its human rights commitments.
Similar consultations are planned for Port Loko and Waterloo on 27th–28th August, and in Kenema and Bo on 2nd–3rd September 2025, as HRCSL continues its nationwide review process.