HRCSL Administering Questionnaires To MDAs

September 30, 2025 232News

The Human Rights Commission of Sierra Leone (HRCSL) through its Directorate of Treaty Body Reporting and International Mechanisms is currently administering questionnaires to get government perspectives on the level of implementation of the 2021 Universal Periodic Review (UPR) Recommendations as they relate to specific Ministries, Departments and Agencies.

The initiative, which is supported by the United Nations Resident Coordinator’s Office in Sierra Leone, forms part of HRCSL’s effort in the preparation and submission of its alternative UPR report in October this year.

The UPR Mechanism provides an opportunity for all 193 UN Members States to be reviewed once every five years and reminded of their human rights obligations and commitments in accordance with the provisions of the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights (UNDHR) and other international human rights treaties to which the State is a party. Voluntary pledges made by the State are also considered.

On 17th and 19th September 2025, a team from HRCSL engaged officials of the Sierra Leone Correctional Service and the Ministry of Gender and Children’s Affairs respectively. The purpose was to gather information on the conditions of correctional centres across the country, and progress regarding specific recommendations on women and children’s rights issues.

The Director of Treaty Body Reporting and International Mechanisms, Brima Kelson Sesay stressed the importance of administering the questionnaires to MDAs to gather accurate, grounded, and inclusive information on the levels of implementation of UPR recommendations.

“Such engagement would help ensure that the Commission’s submission reflects diverse perspectives, grounded in reality and inclusive,” he said.

Both institutions provided credible and verifiable information/data that will help the Commission in developing and submitting its alternative report.

Other institutions to be engaged include the Ministries of Internal Affairs, Social Welfare, Justice, Health and Basic and Senior Secondary Education.