AYV News, August 28, 2025
With support from UNDP, the Human Rights Commission of Sierra Leone through its Directorate of Treaty Body Reporting and International Mechanisms on Tuesday 26th August, 2025 engaged 22 representatives from MDAs and CSOs at the Bombali District Council Hall, Makeni, in the northern region, to gather evidence-based information/data on the status of implementation of the third cycle UPR recommendations with a view to compiling its alternative report, as provided for in Resolution 16/21 and Decision 17/119 of the Human Rights Council. The Commission’s report, like other stakeholders’ reports, is used to verify issues in the State’s report.
For Peter Conteh, the Chairman of the Bombali District Human Rights Committee, the engagement was timely for CSOs to add their voices to the process. According to him, “this engagement has built the capacity of CSOs to hold the government accountable on their commitments.” He assured that they will now use these recommendations to raise the awareness of people at the community level. He added that the UPR Mechanism provides an opportunity for all 193 UN Member States to be reviewed once every five years and reminded States of their human rights obligations and commitments in accordance with the provisions in the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights and other human rights treaties to which the State is a party.
Sulaiman Kamara from Polio Persons Development Association in Makeni, stated that while progress has been made by government in the implementation of the UPR recommendations, much needs to be done for PwDs with regards access to social services and human rights protection as enshrined in the Persons with Disability Act of 2011 and the UNCRPD. He promised to carry out strong advocacy on specific recommendations that speak directly to PwDs.
The Vice Chairperson of HRCSL, Victor Idrissa Lansana Esq. disclosed that Sierra Leone will be due for another UPR assessment in 2026. He said the UPR is a voluntary peer review and that once a State subjects itself to such a process, it has a moral obligation to make sure that recommendations accepted are fully implemented.
He said the engagement was geared towards gathering credible and reliable information/data from MDAs and CSOs on whether Sierra Leone has taken steps through policies, laws, and creation of institutions in making sure that the recommendations accepted have been implemented.
Similar engagements are scheduled for Wednesday, 27th – Thursday, 28th August in Port Loko and Waterloo, and 2nd & 3rd September in Kenema and Bo, respectively.
