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SEND Sierra Leone has convened women from across the country in Makeni as part of the Women’s Collective Monitoring of the Constitutional Review Process, aimed at ensuring that women’s voices are fully reflected in Sierra Leone’s ongoing constitutional reforms.
The engagement brought together women leaders and grassroots participants to examine the key question of how the new Constitution should advance women’s rights and national development. Participants jointly called for what they described as a “Blueprint for Prosperity, Five Pillars for Progress,” which they said should be entrenched in the new Constitution.
The five pillars identified include economic empowerment, political participation, social investment, justice and safety, and the protection of human rights. According to participants, embedding these principles in the Constitution is essential for inclusive and sustainable development.
The public forum was organised in collaboration with the Office of the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, the Ministry of Information and Civic Education, and the Ministry of Gender and Children’s Affairs. Speaking at the event, Attorney General and Minister of Justice Alpha Sesay Esq. underscored the need for explicit constitutional provisions on gender equality.
He argued that the existing 30 percent women’s quota under the Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment (GEWE) Act should be elevated from policy to constitutional status to ensure long-term protection. He noted that neutrality in law can reinforce inequality if historical imbalances are not directly addressed.
SEND Sierra Leone noted that the current constitutional review marks the first time discussions are being guided by national pillars that place women’s rights at the centre of development priorities, including equal economic opportunities, affirmative action for leadership, investment in health and education, access to justice, and recognition of women’s rights as fundamental human rights.
The engagement was held under the More Than a Woman Project, with support from Irish Aid through the Embassy of Ireland in Sierra Leone. SEND Sierra Leone said the initiative is intended to ensure that the constitutional reform process is inclusive and informed by women at the community level.
Participants were also sensitised on the recommendations of the Tripartite Committee and the upcoming national population and housing census, highlighting the importance of citizen participation in strengthening accountability and governance.
SEND Sierra Leone emphasised that the engagement reaffirmed the importance of women’s inclusion in law-making processes, noting that a constitution that safeguards women’s rights is critical to the country’s future development.
