By Sallieu S, Kanu
June 23, 2026: The Human Rights Commission of Sierra Leone (HRCSL) has engaged in a strategic dialogue with the Geneva Office for Human Rights Education (GOHRE) and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints to establish collaboration aimed at advancing human rights education in schools and communities across the country.
Deputy Executive Secretary of HRCSL, Frederick Ibrahim Kamara, welcomed the delegation and reaffirmed the Commission’s statutory mandate under the 2004 Act to protect and promote human rights. He emphasized that education remains central to the Commission’s work, noting the establishment of more than 80 Human Rights and Peace Clubs in secondary schools nationwide. These clubs serve as platforms for pupils to learn about their rights and responsibilities while fostering respect, tolerance, and peaceful coexistence.
Regional Director for West Africa at GOHRE, Jim Hess, outlined the organization’s global human rights education programme, rooted in the principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. He explained that GOHRE provides curricula for primary and secondary schools and trains teachers to integrate human rights concepts into classroom learning.
“In Ghana alone, we have reached more than one million students and trained approximately 25,000 teachers over the past four years,” Hess said. He stressed that the programme equips teachers with skills and resources to help young people understand their rights, advocate for others, and contribute to societies where human dignity is respected.
Discussions also explored extending human rights education beyond formal school settings to reach vulnerable and marginalized children, including street-connected and out-of-school youths. Director for Gender and Children’s Affairs, Ann Marie Balboa, underscored the importance of community-based approaches, noting that many children remain outside the formal education system and require alternative avenues for learning about their rights.
Both institutions acknowledged the need to address emerging human rights challenges such as climate change, child protection, gender equality, and access to justice through education and public awareness initiatives. The meeting concluded with a mutual commitment to deepen collaboration, including the development of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).