Geneva, Switzerland, Wednesday 11 February 2026 — The Vice Chairperson of the Human Rights Commission of Sierra Leone (HRCSL), Victor Idrissa Lansana Esq., has called on the Government to strengthen implementation of laws protecting women and children and to explicitly criminalise Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) against minors.
Speaking at the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) Pre-session in Geneva, Lansana acknowledged the progress Sierra Leone has made since its last review. He cited the passage of the Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Act, 2022, which guarantees a 30 percent quota for women in public office, as well as legislative reforms addressing child marriage and strengthening child rights protections.
Despite these gains, he expressed concern that rural women are yet to fully benefit from the reforms, particularly in accessing finance and economic opportunities to improve their livelihoods. He stressed that implementation remains critical to ensuring that laws translate into real improvements for women and girls across the country.
Lansana also raised concerns about gaps in the Child Rights Act, 2025, noting that it does not clearly prohibit FGM against underage girls. He described the practice as a violation of girls’ rights to health, dignity, protection, and education, and urged clearer legal provisions to address the issue.
In addition, he called for increased financial and logistical support to the Human Rights Commission, citing delays in fund disbursement and limited operational capacity as challenges affecting effective service delivery nationwide.
In addition, he emphasized the need for timely funds disbursements to ensure the effective implementation of the Commission’s activities.
He concluded by urging the Government to expedite the review and repeal of the Human Rights Commission of Sierra Leone Act, 2004, in order to better capacitate the Commission to effectively deliver on its mandate.
During the Civil Society panel discussion, Ambassador Lansana Gberie, Sierra Leone’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations and other International Organizations in Geneva, reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to the UPR process. He highlighted achievements including the abolition of the death penalty, strengthened gender equality laws, and ongoing reforms in governance and access to justice.
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The pre-session brought together HRCSL and several civil society organizations as part of preparations for Sierra Leone’s upcoming UPR review before the Human Rights Council, with stakeholders emphasizing continued dialogue and cooperation to advance human rights protections in the country.
