Despite the Government of Sierra Leone’s commitment to reducing cases of physical and sexual assault, little progress has been made in achieving that goal, according to findings from the Salone Development Scorecard (SDSC).

The scorecard, an online platform that assesses government interventions and tracks progress on manifesto commitments in real time, was launched by the Institute for Governance Reform (IGR) on May 28, 2026.

Presenting the report, IGR’s Director of Research and Programmes, Dr. Fredline M’Cormack-Hale, said that despite the existence of the Sexual Offences Act, incidents of physical and sexual violence remain alarmingly high.

According to the scorecard, a total of 3,053 physical and sexual assault cases were reported by Rainbo Centres in 2025. During the same period, the Sierra Leone Police recorded 15,188 cases involving women and children, representing 45 percent of all crimes reported nationwide.

Related News

The report further revealed that domestic violence cases surged to 12,301, while rape cases stood at 78. Child rape cases accounted for 1,946 of the investigated cases.

“The 2025 figures suggest that the target of reducing physical and sexual assault cases to 1,000 may not be achieved within the President’s term of office,” Dr. M’Cormack-Hale stated.

The report also highlighted concerns regarding adolescent pregnancy. The government had pledged to reduce adolescent pregnancy to 10 percent, but the scorecard indicates that progress has been limited.

Reading from the presentation, Dr. M’Cormack-Hale noted that 22 percent of girls aged 15 to 19 become pregnant, largely due to low household income. This represents an increase from 17.2 percent recorded in 2024.

However, she acknowledged significant progress in the area of gender inclusion and women’s empowerment. She noted that most Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) now have gender focal persons or gender desks, while female representation in public institutions has improved considerably.

One of the government’s commitments stated: “By 2025, Gender Units are established in all line ministries within their Planning Directorates.”

According to the scorecard, substantial progress has been made toward this goal. However, the report observed that while all line ministries now have gender focal persons, the requirements of the Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment (GEWE) Act 2022 for dedicated gender units within Planning Directorates have not yet been fully met.

Dr. M’Cormack-Hale further stated that notable gains have been made in increasing women’s representation in governance. Following the 2023 elections, women accounted for 30 percent of elected Members of Parliament, 33 percent of Cabinet Ministers, and 41 percent of Deputy Ministers. Female mayors and local council chairpersons represented 14 percent of those positions.

“Overall, progress has been recorded across all areas of the government’s commitments. However, the number of women in Parliament declined following the death of a female Member of Parliament who was subsequently replaced by a male,” she said.

The Salone Development Scorecard serves as a midterm assessment tool that measures government performance across Ministries, Departments and Agencies. It tracks manifesto promises and provides citizens with an opportunity to monitor government delivery, offer feedback, and participate in assessing progress in real time.