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The Campaign for Human Rights and Development International (CHRDI), WANEP, and LAWYERS have been elected to lead the newly established National Coordination of Civil Society Security Sector Reform and Governance (SSRG), marking a major step towards strengthening democratic oversight and transparency in Sierra Leone’s security architecture.
The election followed a three-day capacity-building workshop held in Freetown, organized by UNDP Sierra Leone in collaboration with the ECOWAS Peace, Security, and Governance (EPSG) Project. The EPSG initiative is co-funded by the European Union and jointly implemented by GIZ (under the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development), Expertise France, and FIIAP of the Spanish Cooperation.
The workshop brought together over 30 civil society organisations (CSOs) from across the country working in areas of governance, human rights, peacebuilding, and security. The objective was to enhance the institutional capacity of parliamentary committees and CSOs to engage more effectively in democratic oversight of the security sector an essential component of creating a secure, rights-based, and democratic environment.
On the final day of the workshop, CSOs collectively voted to establish a coordinated civil society framework for SSRG. CHRDI, recognized for its longstanding commitment to social policy advocacy, transparency, and security sector accountability, was elected to spearhead the new body, supported by WANEP and a cadre of lawyers and governance experts.
Security Sector Reform and Governance (SSRG) remain vital to Sierra Leone’s post-war recovery and long-term stability. Despite notable progress in military, police, and judicial reforms, persistent challenges in accountability and public trust continue to threaten progress. The newly elected civil society coordination is expected to bridge these gaps by promoting greater citizen participation and independent oversight in the governance of security institutions.
This move aligns with broader national and international efforts to institutionalize participatory and transparent governance in Sierra Leone’s security sector, making the role of civil society indispensable in holding duty bearers accountable and advocating for reforms that reflect the needs and rights of citizens.
