Sierra Leone

UNDP Sierra Leone Success Stories

UNDP support’s free and fair elections

The second election following a civil conflict is often said to make or break the peace of the nation, as it indicates whether or not democracy has been consolidated. To ensure successfully organised Presidential and Parliamentary Elections in 2007, UNDP provided essential administrative, technical and advisory support to the electoral process.

UNDP was instrumental in managing the $24 multi-donor basket fund project on electoral reform which developed the institutional capacity of the National Electoral Commission and the Political Parties Registration Commission, to ensure free and fair transparent elections. In addition, the UN agency provided support to the judiciary, security forces, and media institutions, as well as providing a team of technical advisors to the Electoral Commission. Hailed as one of the most free and fair elections in Africa in recent years, UNDP’s role in the process was paramount to the unprecedented outcome which resulted.

To read more about the support of UNDP to the 2007 elections, click here

Sierra Leone benefits from UNDP-managed Peacebuilding Fund

The UN Peacebuilding Fund was launched in October 2006 to establish a crucial bridge between conflict and recovery for countries emerging from war. Sierra Leone, along with Burundi, was identified as one of the first two recipients of the Fund. In March 2007, it was formally announced that an allocation of over US$35 million from the Peacebuilding Fund was to be made to Sierra Leone, to support the areas of youth empowerment and employment; democracy and good governance; justice and security; and capacity building of public administration. Seven projects totaling US$16 million have already been approved for Sierra Leone. Several of these projects have been successfully implemented by UNDP, with a number of them contributing to the country’s recent successfully organised elections.

To read more about how the Peacebuilding Fund is being used in Sierra Leone, click here.

UNDP launches first Sierra Leone Human Development Report

In November 2007, UNDP together with the Government of Sierra Leone, launched the first National Human Development Report since the end of the war. Entitled ‘Empowering Local Government for Sustainable Human Development and Poverty Reduction’, the report acts as an effective tool for the implementation of national poverty reduction and development strategies, as well as an advocacy tool to remind the nation of its development priorities.

To read the Executive Summary of the 2007 Human Development Report for Sierra Leone click here. To read the full Report, click here. For hard copies contact the Media Officer at michelle.delaney@undp.org, phone: +232-22-231311 Ext 1111, mobile: +232-76-963657 or +232-33-775318.
 

UNDP support’s access to justice

Inaccessibility to justice was one of the root causes of the decade-long civil conflict in Sierra Leone. The need for a programme that facilitates access to justice for all citizens became a priority following the end of the war. A comprehensive judicial reform was embarked upon, to address the functional and institutional weaknesses that inhibit the effective functioning of the justice sector. The Government established the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to implement the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) recommendations, ensuring access to justice for all.

However, the NHRC lacked the capacity to accomplish its mandate effectively. In response UNDP has partnered with the Government and other agencies, to provide support to reform the judiciary, and to build the capacity of the newly established Commission for effective monitoring and reporting on human rights issues. Already, the support provided to the Commission has resulted in the uninterrupted operation of the Magistrates Courts and the turnover of cases continuing to improve. Support to the establishment of the Justice Sector Secretariat has considerably improved the coordination of donor assistance to the sector. Within the support to gender legislation, UNDP initiated debate and processes around the issues, which finally resulted in the enactment of three gender bills.

To read more about UNDP’s support to the justice sector, click here.