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Attorney General and Minister of Justice Alpha Sesay on August 3, 2026, met with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to launch a new justice sector reform initiative aimed at improving access to justice for vulnerable populations across Sierra Leone. The project, titled “Enhancing Access to Justice for Vulnerable Groups and Advancing People-Centred Justice Reforms,” seeks to strengthen the efficiency, inclusiveness, and responsiveness of the country’s justice system.
The initiative focuses on addressing barriers faced by women, young people, persons with disabilities, and underserved rural communities, as part of broader efforts to ensure that justice services are accessible to all citizens. Speaking during the engagement, Sesay said the programme reflects a shared commitment between the government and UNDP to uphold human rights, reinforce the rule of law, and deliver a more people-centred justice system.
The new project builds on ongoing collaboration between Sierra Leone and UNDP in advancing justice sector reforms. In 2024, the government repealed the Criminal Procedure Act of 1965 and replaced it with the Criminal Procedure Act 2024, introducing modernised procedures aligned with international standards. The law mandates magistrates to determine within 28 days whether cases should proceed to the High Court and requires that committed cases be heard within 180 days, aiming to reduce delays in the judicial process.
UNDP has also supported efforts to address case backlogs and prison congestion through initiatives such as Judicial Week and Prison-Court Sessions. These interventions contributed to the clearance of 802 backlogged cases in 2023, benefiting nearly 3,000 individuals, while in 2024, the review of 1,538 inmate cases nationwide helped ease pressure on correctional facilities.
Additional reforms are underway, including a review of the Matrimonial Causes Act of 1950 led by the Law Reform Commission in partnership with UNDP and the Ministry of Gender and Children’s Affairs. The review is intended to modernise family law in line with contemporary societal realities and gender equality principles. UNDP has further supported the government’s transition of the Sierra Leone Police from a Force to a Service, a reform aimed at improving public trust and service delivery.
The engagement underscores the government’s continued commitment to building a justice system that is efficient, inclusive, and capable of meeting the needs of all Sierra Leoneans, particularly those most at risk of exclusion.
