The Human Rights Commission of Sierra Leone (HRCSL), through its Directorate of Treaty Body Reporting and International Mechanisms, has commenced a nationwide engagement with key government institutions to assess progress on the implementation of the 2021 Universal Periodic Review (UPR) recommendations.
The initiative, supported by the United Nations Resident Coordinator’s Office, involves administering detailed questionnaires to selected Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to capture government perspectives on human rights commitments made under the UPR process.
As part of the data-gathering phase, HRCSL teams held consultative meetings on September 17 and 19 with officials from the Sierra Leone Correctional Service and the Ministry of Gender and Children’s Affairs. The discussions focused on conditions in correctional centres nationwide, as well as progress on women and children’s rights—areas highlighted in the 2021 UPR recommendations.
Director of Treaty Body Reporting and International Mechanisms, Brima Kelson Sesay, emphasized the value of these engagements in ensuring that the Commission’s forthcoming alternative UPR report—due in October 2025—is accurate, inclusive, and reflective of realities on the ground.
“Such engagement would help ensure that the Commission’s submission reflects diverse perspectives, grounded in reality and inclusive,” Sesay noted.
According to HRCSL, both institutions provided credible and verifiable information, which will be critical in shaping the final report.
The Universal Periodic Review is a peer-review mechanism under the UN Human Rights Council in which the human rights record of each of the 193 UN member states is reviewed every five years. The process reviews adherence to international treaties, national commitments, and voluntary pledges made by states.
HRCSL will continue its engagements in the coming weeks with other key ministries, including those responsible for Internal Affairs, Social Welfare, Justice, Health, and Basic and Senior Secondary Education, as it finalizes preparations for Sierra Leone’s submission.
