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Common Country Analysis

The United Nations

Sierra Leone

September 2018

FINAL

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Contents Contributors to the Common Country Analysis (CCA) ............................................................................. 3

Introduction ............................................................................................................................................. 5

UNDAF-Wide Principles ........................................................................................................................... 6

Leave no one behind: .......................................................................................................................... 6

Human Rights, Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment: .......................................................... 6

Sustainability and Resilience: .............................................................................................................. 6

Accountability: ..................................................................................................................................... 6

A Brief Country Context ........................................................................................................................... 8

CCA PART I: SDG-Based Data Review and Rights-Based Assessment of the Country Situation.............. 10

1) PEOPLE - Health, Dignity and Equality ........................................................................................... 10

2) PROSPERITY - Economic Progress and Growth .............................................................................. 31

3) PLANET - Sustainability and Climate .............................................................................................. 41

4) PEACE - Justice, Inclusivity, and Safety .......................................................................................... 51

5) PARTNERSHIP – Means of implementation ................................................................................... 56

CCA PART II: Game Changing Priorities ................................................................................................. 59

Game Changing Priority: Sustainable Agriculture and Land Reform ................................................. 59

Game Changing Priority: Integrity, Law Enforcement and Social Contract........................................ 60

Game Changing priority: Society Emancipation, Gender Equality and Social Progress ..................... 62

Game Changing Priority: Access to Quality Education, Civic and Life Skills Education, and Market-oriented Skills .................................................................................................................................... 62

Game Changing Priority: Socio-economic Inclusion and Empowerment of Adolescents, Young Adults and Adolescent Girls .......................................................................................................................... 63

Game Changing Priority: Sustainable Financing of Health, Education, Water, Sanitation and Social Protection .......................................................................................................................................... 64

CCA PART III: The Comparative Advantage ............................................................................................ 66

The Analysis ........................................................................................................................................... 66

UN agencies ....................................................................................................................................... 66

Meeting with International Missions on the Common Country Analysis .......................................... 68

Annex A: Statistical Information on the Population of Sierra Leone ...................................................... 72

Annex B: Poverty Levels at National, Regional and District levels .......................................................... 73

Annex C: Schematic of Workshop Process ............................................................................................. 74

Annex D: Outline CCA Workshop Programme ....................................................................................... 77

Annex E: Photos from the CCA workshop .............................................................................................. 81

Annex F: Questionnaire sent to UN agencies ......................................................................................... 83

Annex G: Analysis of UN Agency Questionnaires ................................................................................... 86

Annex H. After Action Review Summary Document .............................................................................. 95

List of Documents .................................................................................................................................. 98

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Contributors to the Common Country Analysis (CCA) The following people contributed to the collection of data and information and / or participated in the CCA workshop that led to the outputs contained in this document. The CCA was from its inception designed to be a participatory process. The CCA Core Team wishes to thank everybody below for their engagement and diligent work at each stage of the process. Sierra Leone CCA Core Team:

UN Resident Coordinator in Sierra Leone Sunil Saigal

CCA Independent Consultant Laura Marconnet

UN Strategic Planning Advisor in Sierra Leone Philip Dive

UN Peace and Development Adviser in Sierra Leone Simonetta Rossi

Special Assistant to the Resident Coordinator in Sierra Leone Janete Rebizzi

Programme Specialist Rule of Law, Justice and Human Rights in Mali Tsagao Traore

Government Participants in the CCA Workshop:

MoFAIC - Director, Human Rights & Compliance / Legal Affairs & International Conventions Division

Patrick Koroma

MoFED – Development Secretary

John Sumailah

MoFED – Director of Central Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation & National SDGs Focal Point

Sheka Bangura

MoFED – Overseas Development Institute Fellow

Philip Spencer

Sierra Leone Heads of UN Agencies:

FAO Nyabenyi Tipo

ILO Denis Zulu

IOM Sanusi Savage

UNAIDS Mike Gboun

UNCDF Tenzin Ngodup

UNDP Sam Doe

UNESCO Tirso Dos Santos

UNFPA Kim Dickson

UNHCR Liz Hua

UNICEF Hamid El-Bashir

UNIDO Mariatu Swaray

UNODC Jesus Aguilar-Cerezo

UNOPS Nick Gardner

UNWOMEN Mary Okumu

WFP Housainou Taal

WHO Alexander Chimbaru

Sierra Leone Programme Manager’s Team:

FAO Joseph Brima

IOM Aurelien Pekezou

UNDP Moses Sichei

UNFPA Chris Oyeyipo

UNICEF Rushnan Murtaza

UNIDO Kellah Mansaray

UNOPS Millicent Lewis-Ojumu

UNWOMEN Marbey Sartie

WFP Kinday Samba

WHO Matthias Percl

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Civil Society Participants in the CCA Workshop:

ACTIONAID Mohamed Sillah

Cordaid Brima Victor Kamara

Cordaid Mohamed Wurie

Focus 100 Mohammad Jalloh

IPAS Tania Sheriff

MAWOPNET Hannah Mallah

NETHIPS Idrissa Songo

Sierra Leone Market Women’s Association Marie Bob Kandeh

WONES Khadijatu Barrie

WONES Nabeela Tunis

Additional UN Participants in the CCA Workshop:

FAO Samuel Mabikke

IOM Sylvester Deane

UN WOMEN David E. Lahai

UN WOMEN Baindu Massaquoi

UNAIDS Bockari Samba

UNCDF Lynda Buckowski

UNDP Pious Bockarie

UNDP Mu-Jin Lee

UNDP Annette Nalwoga

UNDP Lilah Gaafar

UNFPA Riad Mahmud

UNICEF James Gray

UNICEF Celeste Staley

UNODC Festus Robin Taylor

UNOPS Jasmin Roberts

WFP Mervyn Chiumia

WHO Fatu Forna

WHO Wilson Gachari

In addition, ten International Missions (Embassies, Donor Organizations and International Financial Institutions) also contributed to a structured discussion and provided feedback on the CCA.

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Introduction The current United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) programme cycle is due to expire at the end of 2019. With a newly elected Government, 2018 marks the optimum time for the UN system to take stock of the country’s situation and to identify the priority areas for the next UNDAF programme cycle that is due to start in January 2020. A Common Country Analysis (CCA) was therefore undertaken as the first step of a year-long strategic planning exercise that should culminate with the validation of a new UNDAF (2020-2024). The main objective of the CCA is to identify the “game-changing” priorities, i.e. those deep-rooted issues that should be addressed in order to effectively accelerate the development progress of Sierra Leone. The United Nations in Sierra Leone will then embark on a reflective process that aims to identify those areas where the UN system is best positioned to support Sierra Leone through its multiple agencies, funds and programmes. The United Nations in Sierra Leone is closely following the new generation UNDAF guidance that puts the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at its center. The CCA Core Team used the following documents to guide them:

• The UNDG Reference Guide for UN Country Teams to Mainstream the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development

• UNDG guidance on CCA

• UN Inter-Agency Common Learning Package on Human Rights-based Approach to Programming

• Resource Book for Mainstreaming Gender in UN Common Programming at the Country Level From literature that sits outside the UN system the team also applied ‘Systems Thinking’ throughout the CCA process to reflect the interconnected nature of sustainable development and to identify interventions with the highest potential for real positive change (please see pXX for more details on the methodology). The CCA is standalone document which comprises of three distinct parts: Part I: A review of data (based on the latest official figures from primary and secondary public sources) followed by an assessment of Sierra Leone’s development challenges using the framework provided by the SDGs to highlight key deprivations of human rights and to identify the most affected, vulnerable and marginalized people. Part II: An analysis that focuses on the root causes of Sierra Leone’s development challenges in order to generate priorities for transformative change in the country’s economy, society and environment. Special attention was given to the following; (i) the gender lens, (ii) the conflict mitigation lens, and (iii) those common root causes that are hindering progress across multiple SDGs. The combination of these three provide the aforementioned ‘Game Changers’. Part III: The Comparative Advantage analysis informs the strategic positioning of the UN system’s future programmes based on the identification of the strengths and weaknesses of the UN agencies in relation to the Game Changers and other International Missions. It is not necessarily based on those activities with which the UN system is most familiar or comfortable, focusing instead on those areas where the UN system can best add value.

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UNDAF-Wide Principles The CCA is one stage of many stages that lead to a completed UNDAF. Through all UNDAF stages there are four principles that need to be always applied. Taken directly from UNDAF Guidance Note those principles are summarized below:

Leave no one behind:

o Eliminating inequalities and discrimination o Addressing the root causes of multidimensional poverty and building capacities for

resilience o Strengthening national systems and processes of accountability to monitor progress

and provide remedies

Human Rights, Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment:

o Alignment with international standards o A focus on addressing inequalities and discrimination towards leaving nobody behind o Active and meaningful participation by all stakeholders o Due diligence, including provision of effective remedies o Reduction of gender inequalities by empowering all women and girls

Sustainability and Resilience:

o Reflecting interconnections and a balanced approach among the social, economic and environmental dimensions of sustainable development

o Integrating economic, environmental and social sustainability and risk management into programming and strengthening national capacities to address these issues

o Applying social and environmental standards to prevent adverse impacts on people, including the poor, and the environment; managing risks when impacts cannot be avoided and building resilience

o Supporting the full integration of environmental issues and social protection in national policies that deal with key development sectors and ensuring links with emergency, crisis and humanitarian systems

o Addressing the sustainability and resilience dimensions of development problems and interconnections among issues related to environment, human rights, conflict and vulnerability

o Ensuring consistency between UNDAF outcomes and objectives in national development policies, budgets and plans

Accountability:

o Alignment with national priorities and national accountability mechanisms, as well as the provision of priority support to the expansion or further development of those mechanisms to ensure they include all population groups

o Strengthening national and local mechanisms, institutions and processes to monitor and report on the progress of SDG implementation for all parts of society, and linking these with international mechanisms, including UN human rights mechanisms

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o Measures to build upon and extend greater transparency and improved measurement and reporting on results, including through joint assessments with target populations

o Practicing what the UN advocates by recognizing the UN system’s accountability to the general public of the countries in which it works

o Enabling active local community engagement and participation in decision making – particularly of those who are left behind or are at risk of being left behind – whether more broadly in national policy development, implementation, or monitoring and evaluation or specifically in the UNDAF process

o Supporting the development and use of transparent and robust data and information for policy formulation, programme design and implementation to manage risks and deliver results through more effective decision-making, both in national policy processes and the work of the United nations at country level

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A Brief Country Context Sierra Leone’s population was estimated at 7,075,641 in 2015, a little less than the population of the city of Lagos, Nigeria. Women constitute 51% of the country’s population. About one million people live in Sierra Leone’s capital and largest city, Freetown. From 2004 to 2015, Sierra Leone’s population grew by 42%, an annual growth rate of 3.2%. At this pace of growth, the population of Sierra Leone is likely to nearly double in the next twenty years, hereby putting a heavy burden on the service delivery1.2. The highest population growth has occurred in and around Freetown due to rural-urban migration. Each year, more than a 100,000 people migrate to urban areas in search of employment. The Sierra Leonean population is becoming younger with an increased share of the working age population, especially adolescents (15–24 years). Please see Annex A for more information on Sierra Leone’s population. Sierra Leone’s geography is characterized by 500km of coastal mangroves, wooded hills, upland plateaus and mountains, including the mount Bintumani rising up to 1,948 meters. The country is endowed with many natural resources including reserves of diamonds, rutile and bauxite, iron-ore and productive agricultural lands and rainforests and well stocked fishing grounds. It is possible that oil and gas reserves are still be found and developed off-shore. Due to its climate and geography Sierra Leone is prone to natural hazards, in particular recurrent floods and landslides which are likely to be exacerbated by climate change. This situation, together with the current rate of urbanization, puts Sierra Leone at a high-risk level for disasters.

Sixteen years after a decade-long civil war Sierra Leone remains a fragile country that is highly vulnerable to shocks. Sierra Leone remains one of the poorest countries in the world. In 2016, the country was ranked 179 out of 188 countries of the UN Human Development Index and, in 2017, 130 least corrupt nation out of 175 countries, according to the Corruption Perceptions Index3. The underlying causes of the conflicts that devastated Sierra Leone between 1991 and 2002, as identified by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, were corruption and economic mismanagement, a lack of opportunities for youth and the underdevelopment of rural areas.

Sierra Leone’s fragility is both exacerbated and directly responsible for the high impact of internal and external shocks on the country’s social and economic development. After several years of positive progress the country was hit by two major shocks in 2014 / 2015; the collapse of iron ore market prices and the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) epidemic, each with dire consequences on the country. The economic growth recovered in 2016 up to 6.3 percent, but then it slowed down to 3.5 percent in 2017, mainly due to decline in iron ore mining as well as reduced activities in the non-mining sector. Inflation, peaked at 20 percent in March 2017. After independence in 1961, Sierra Leone became a Republic with a presidential representative democratic system. In 2004, through the local Government Act, decentralization was initiated through a unique hybrid system of local governance sharing roles and responsibilities between local councils and wards, and chieftaincies. Until today, constitutional and customary law exist in parallel in Sierra Leone and this remains the one of the contributing factors to the structural discrimination against women. Sierra Leone’s society is deeply rooted in a patriarchal system, with community rules and norms characterized by entrenched traditional customs where secret societies play a central role. The status of women remains low as a result of the patriarchal norms. The gender inequality index is 0.65 placing Sierra Leone at the 151th rank4, and the situation of women and girls’ rights remains very alarming.

1Sierra Leone Census Report, 2017 2 2015 Population and Housing Census 3 Transparency International 4 2015 Human Development Report

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Progress has been made in the girls’ access to primary education, but the few available indicators show very high level of discrimination, violence against women and girls and harmful practices. Women’s participation in the economic life is still characterized by non-productive employment and is limited by lack of access to productive resources including land ownership and financial resources. Their participation in socio-economic and political and public decision-making spheres is still below the international and regional standards stipulated in human rights instruments such as the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and the Maputo Protocol which the government of the Republic of Sierra Leone is a signatory to. Despite some little progress, the status of women remains very low. The challenges of gender inequality in Sierra Leone are deeply rooted in the patriarchal norms which inform and shape political and governance systems and power structures all of which constitute major impediments to the progress of not only women but also the country’s overall development outcomes. Sierra Leone’s maternal mortality rate (MMR) is the highest in the world at 1,165.5 Following the end of the civil war the country has remained at peace and several successful elections have taken place. A constitutional review process was undertaken in 2012 with the objective to fulfil the national commitment made in Lomé Peace Agreement and implement the Truth and Reconciliation Commission recommendations, to further consolidate peace and strengthen existing multi-party democracy. This process is still on-going. In March 2018, Presidential and Parliamentary elections were conducted. The new elected President, Brig. (Rtd.) Julius Maada Bio, was sworn in on 4 April 2018 and a new Parliament was officially opened on 25 April 2018. At the State Opening of the new Parliament, H.E. President Julius Maada Bio presented his agenda for development, titled “New Direction”. A new development plan is being formulated by the Government, which will have a specific focus on education and will replace the current Agenda for Prosperity (2013-2018). The President’s New Direction indicated free quality education as the flagship policy of the new government, while it also underscores specific commitments to promoting inclusive development and economic growth and improving governance. Investment in youth, job creation, and generation of opportunities for youth development and empowerment has been highlighted as the government’s key driver for development.

5 Sierra Leone Census Report May 2017

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CCA PART I: SDG-Based Data Review and Rights-Based Assessment of the Country Situation

1) PEOPLE - Health, Dignity and Equality

SDG 1: End Poverty in All Its Forms Everywhere Manifestation of the problem: The SDG framework encourages everyone to look beyond the classical economic measurement of poverty and to further understand what constitutes poverty in each country, who, among men, women, boys and girls and elderly women, men, the youth are poor; in which geographical area are the poorest, and what deprivations are they suffering from. Men and women, boys and girls experience the impact of poverty differently both based on biological and gender socially constructed gender roles. Unequal access to and control over economic resources lie at the root of women’s poverty. Discriminatory legal frameworks and customary laws can place significant constraints on women’s ability to earn an income by restricting their access to inheritance, land, property and credit as well as their mobility. Whereas the use of a few classical poverty figures can provide trends, typically only in monetary terms, the measure of multiple factors provides a deeper understanding of the magnitude and importantly the complexity of poverty. In Sierra Leone national economic figures since the end of the war show a bridging of the gaps between the rural and the urban regions, whereas more diverse measurements show persistently high levels of deprivations across the whole society but in particular those living in rural areas as well as the gender differentials between men and women, boys and girls within and beyond households (please specify which one).

Since the end of the conflict, the proportion of national population living in absolute poverty, i.e below

the national poverty line, has decreased from 66.4% in 20036 to 52.9% in 2011 according to the most

recent household survey. This 13.5 percentage points reduction was essentially due to a decrease of

rural poverty from 78.7% in 2003 to 66.1 % in 2011. Most districts poverty levels were measured

between 50% and 60%, with the highest levels in the Tonkolili and Moyamba districts (above 70%).

Urban poverty declined from 46.9% in 2003 to 31.2% in 2011 despite an increase from 13.6% percent

to 20.7 % in the capital, Freetown. The poverty increase in Freetown is believed to have been mainly

driven by three factors: in-migration, the slow creation of well-paid jobs, and inflation7. The last

census notes that 79.9% rural women live below the poverty line whilst in urban areas 45.2% of

women live8 below poverty line. The 2015 National figures for women states 68.4 % of the rural poor

are women.

Rates of extreme poverty fell significantly from 31.3% in 20039 to 13.9% in 201110, with just 5% of the

urban population extremely poor, a decrease from 16.8% in 2003. Extreme poverty also fell in rural

areas, from 40.5% in 2003 to 19.3% in 2011. The biggest reduction in the proportion of the population

found to be extremely poor was recorded in the eastern region, with rates also falling in the northern

and western regions.

Households with older heads (60-64 years) recorded a higher incidence of poverty than those with younger heads. The 2011 survey data showed that the incidence of poverty was higher for households

6 Sierra Leone Integrated Household Survey (SLIHS) 2003 and 2011 7 World Bank Poverty Profile, 2014 8 Sierra Leone Housing and Population Census-2015 9 SLIHS 2003/2004 10 SLIHS 2011

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with three or more children for both periods. In 2011, though fertility the median age for a woman’s first birth was only 19 years old in 2011. Earlier age at first birth was associated with higher number of children overall, as the average number of total births was almost double for a woman that had her first child at 16 as opposed to 31. High fertility and early child bearing lead Sierra Leone to be an extremely young country11. The dual combination of high fertility rate and early child bearing keep women into poverty intergenerationally as well as undermining the health status of women. Households in which agriculture is the primary occupation of the household head are poorer than other occupations. The child poverty report 201612 showed that 8 out of 10 children in Sierra Leone suffer at least one deprivation while 28 percent suffer from more that three deprivations. At the national level, poor children suffer an average of 2.2 deprivations. Among children who are deprived along the education dimension, about half are also deprived in three to six other dimensions. Moreover, more than 70 per cent of children deprived in education are also deprived in 2 – 6 other dimensions. Monetary poverty is also higher in children than adults. Food poverty also followed a similar trend in correlation with total poverty reduction, with a decrease from 68.1% in 2003 to 47.7% in 2011, the most significant decline being in urban areas outside Freetown. Food poverty levels are higher in Kono, Moyamba and Bombali, and the food poverty rates increased in the district of Tonkolili and Pujehun between 2003 and 201113.

Along these positive trends with regards to poverty levels, the evolution of the Gini coefficient from 0.39 in 2003 to 0.32 in 2011 also suggests a decrease in inequality levels nationally, that can be largely attributed to convergence between Freetown and other urban areas, and by rural areas catching up with urban areas14. (Please see Annex A for Evolution of Poverty at National, Regional and District Levels)

Due to the socioeconomic impact of the series of shocks that have affected Sierra Leone in 2014 and 2015, namely the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) and the collapse of iron ore prices, these positive trends regarding the evolution of income levels since 2003 are likely to show a different path when data is available beyond 2011. The 2015 Population and Housing Census revealed that 55% of the population economically active of Sierra Leone (1,218,080) reported a decrease in their income and close to 14% reported a substantial decrease in their revenues. This drop-in revenue also affected the livelihood of members in the household and individuals. The round three survey conducted in May 2015 assessing the socio-economic impact of the EVD found that employment rates—including for the self-employed and youth in Freetown-- is returning to pre-Ebola outbreak levels. However, the hours that people work are still below baseline levels, especially in rural areas. Also, many households lack capital to reopen their business and non-farm household enterprises — nearly 1/3 of the country’s workforce — report lower revenues than before the Ebola crisis. The reduction of income caused by the EVD crisis posed an unprecedented challenge to the overall achievement of economic growth15 and social cohesion. In addition to the negative impact of EVD on the Sierra Leone national economy; the epidemic had serious gender differentiated impact on individual women and men, boys and girls. EVD affected women more severely than men. Not only did more women die than men (due to the care giving role of women within families and as health workers).16 In Sierra Leone, using gender lens to analyze the EVD transmission data, women were more infected by EVD than men reflecting a sex differential status (56.7 percent and 43.3 percent respectively). This disproportionate finding relates to the social risk factors for women attributable to their care giving role within the family that increases their vulnerability to EVD infection.17

11 World Bank Poverty assessment, 2014 12 Sierra Leone Child Poverty Report, 2016 13 2003 and 2011 SLIHS 14 World Bank poverty profile 2014 15 Sierra Leone 2015 Population and Housing Census Thematic Report on socio-economic impact of the Ebola Virus Disease 16 Multisector Gender Impact Assessment of EVD in Sierra Leone Report 2015.UN Women/Statistics Sierra Leone/MSWGCA 17 Ibid14

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This differentiated gender impact was traced to gender norms and behavior that perpetuate gender inequality; the gendered division of labour between men and women; and gender-related differences in access to and control over productive resources. In this light, the EVD outbreak posed an unprecedented challenge in the overall achievement of gender equality and women’s empowerment. For example, the pre-existing unpaid care work of women at household and community levels as well as the gendered division of labour left women bearing the brunt of the epidemic. The 2000 teenage girls who became pregnant during the EVD epidemic in Sierra Leone meant that they dropped out of school and became child mothers. In terms of poverty, the toll on the teenage girls and the infants they birthed were devastating to the affected families some of which were already single parent or child headed households. The toll was heavy on tha family and national economies.

Furthermore, the evolution of the figures of multiple deprivation shows a different picture of the poverty levels. The Multiple Poverty Index (MPI) is more appropriate to understand long-period trends in deprivation than income indices. The MPI based on the last three DHS shows that the proportion of the population suffering deprivations in 33% or more of the weighted indicators decreased from 79.7% in 2008 to 77.5% in 201318. However, even where formal restrictions are removed, women face multiple barriers to their ability to move out of poverty. Labour market segmentation, gender wage gaps and unequal access to social protection remain a persistent source of economic disadvantage for women. Discriminatory social norms and women’s disproportionate share of unpaid care work further hamper their ability to earn a living. As a result, women are less likely than men to have an income of their own, rendering them financially dependent on their partners and increasing their vulnerability to poverty.19

The recent Housing and Census survey (2015) captured households’ deprivation levels in the three dimensions namely, education, health and standard of living and the ten indicators used in the determination of the deprivation status of households. The incidence of multi-dimensional poverty calculated on the basis of this analysis was estimated at 68.3% nationally, . a decrease from 88.2% in 2004, with 80% of multi-dimensional poor in rural areas and 45% in urban areas. The biggest deprivations are access to decent cooking fuel and electricity (99% and 89%), and poor sanitation.

The distribution of multiple deprivation shows that the North is most impoverished, followed by the South, both with rates of between 7 and 8 in 10 persons. Next is the East at close to 7 in 10 persons. The Western region is least impoverished, with about 4 in 10 persons. At district level, Bonthe, Moyamba, Kambia, Koinadugu and Tonkolili Districts are the most (and closely) deprived among the 14 districts of the country. These are closely followed by Port Loko, Pujehun, Bombali and Kono. Districts.

However, multidimensional child poverty shows that 84.6 per cents of children are deprived in the South followed closely by the North with 82.4 per cent. The west has the least percentage of deprived children at 47.3 per cent. Pujehun and Bonthe have the highest rates, 94.2 and 92.4 per cent respectively.

The SDGs framework suggests that adequate social protection systems, measures and substantial coverage are integral means to poverty eradication, as well as equal rights for women and men, boys and girls including those with disability to economic resources and access to basic services. The total spending of both social insurance and social assistance in Sierra Leone represented 4% GDP (2011)20, lower than the 4.5% average spending in African countries. Most of the social assistance programs in Sierra Leone are small, pilot, or short-term programs that cover only a fraction of the most vulnerable groups or groups at added risk due to a number of social factors. Major program gaps include:(i) male

18 UNDP measures for the Human Development Report 19 Beijng Plus 20 Global Report: 2015 20 World Bank Social Assistance Assessment report

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and female war victims; male and females with disability and the elderly women and men or young men and women who are unable to work and have no means of subsistence; (ii) the working poor and the seasonally or long-term unemployed; and (ii) very poor families including those which are female headed or child households with many children. Furthermore, there is extensive fragmentation and duplication of social assistance programs and poor coordination among MDAs and local councils and between these entities and NGOs and other service organizations. Only free health care and education for the vulnerable have been extensive, but implementation is uneven.

Building resilience of the poor and reduce vulnerability to climate-related extreme events and other economic, social and environmental shocks and disasters also constitute essential conditions to sustainable poverty reduction. On these fronts, the recent Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) and landslide in Freetown showed the high degree of vulnerability of the population of Sierra Leone and their very low access to social services and economic opportunities and related human rights therein. A total of 13,575 persons nationwide contracted the EVD. The highest number of infected cases were reported in Port Loko (26.%), the highest percentage of deaths (22.4%) followed by Kailahun (12.8 per cent and

10.2). 53.5% of cases were found in rural regions and 46.5% in urban areas. Youths, who are more active, were the largest group infected by the virus and there were more deaths among youths within the age bracket of 25–2921.

The magnitude of the disease outbreak resulted from a very limited access to clean water and san22itation facilities, poor provision of and access to health facilities, limited accountability mechanisms, poor hygiene and low education, compounded by poor infrastructure among other factors23.Women and girls who have the social responsibility to fetch water had added risks associated with limited access to safe water and sanitation. The ones under quarantine were still forced to leave their homes to go fetch water. The Multisector Gender Impact Assessment revealed women and girls experienced sexual gender-based violence as a result of going to fetch water or firewood during the epidemic.24 Women and girls also reported discrimination and isolated due to their state of undergoing menstruation. People were afraid of them regarding the highly infectious because of discharging menstrual blood. With little or no access to water and sanitation, they suffered added

hardships based on their biological make-up.

The EVD crisis further impacted the socio-economic rights of the Sierra Leone population. Estimates suggest that, in urban areas, the employment rate decreased from 75% to 69% during the crisis. In the capital, Freetown, was worst hit, with employment dropping from 73% to 64%. In urban areas, job losses in self-employment were estimated at 170,500, compared to 8,500 job losses in wage employment. The EVD outbreak significantly reduced agricultural production and disrupted non-farm household activities. The social protection systems proved to be inadequate to help the population to cope with the socio-economic impact of a shock like the EVD.

The epidemic generated a rise in school drop-out especially for girls due to pregnancy or being forced to assume family care responsibilities due to the death of the mother or both parents.25 . Due to the long period of closure of schools in the affected areas and the economic impact on households’ livelihood. The level of teenage pregnancy rose significantly during the EVD crisis due to the increase vulnerability of girls being out of school, with less access to life-kills education and essential health facilities including contraception and pressured by the increased poverty of the household26. Ebola left 5,666 children orphaned. The UN system Gender Strategy for the EVD response enhanced gender responsive and targeted interventions for the Pillars and reduced additional vulnerabilities of women and men, boys and girls. With 38.9% of girls in Sierra Leone marrying before age 18, it is easy to get the nexus between teenage pregnancy and early marriage. According to a recent study conducted by

21 Sierra Leone 2015 Population and Housing Census Thematic Report on socio-economic impact of the Ebola Virus Disease 22 Ibid14

23 UN, World Bank, EU & AfBD. Recovering from the Ebola Crisis. February 2015 24 Multisector Gender Impact Assessment Report, Sierra Leone: UN Women/Statistics Sierra Leone/MSWGCA: 2015 25 Ibid14 26 Teenage Pregancy after Ebola in Sierra Leone, Mapping the Responses Gaps and On-going Challenges, de. 2015

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UNICEF, 25,000 children married below age 18 in 2018 7,000 of those children married below age 15.

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Yearly, thousands of households are affected by natural disasters in Sierra Leone. In 2016 alone, a total of eight thousand, seven hundred and sixty (8,760) people, including women and children, were affected by disasters. Most of the victims, three thousand, three hundred and eighty (3,380), which is 39% of the national total affected population, were affected by flooding. The poorest are the most vulnerable, as they often live in informal settlements and hold their livelihood from natural resources also affected by those disasters. Vulnerability to sexual exploitation and abuse of women and girls was reported through the Social Protection Pillar.28

Enabling environment / what is done about the problem The Agenda for Prosperity (AfP) covering 2013-2018 is the Government of Sierra Leone’s third generation of Poverty Reduction Strategy whose strategic goal is to build a stable and diversified economy, founded on private sector-led growth, to achieve its economic and human development vision through adequate transport, continuous and affordable power supply, appropriate information and communication technology and improved financial services. The AfP is organized into eight thematic areas:

➢ Diversified and inclusive Economic Growth ➢ Sustainable management of natural resources ➢ Accelerating Human Development ➢ International Competitiveness ➢ Labor and Employment ➢ Social Protection ➢ Governance and Public Sector Reform ➢ Gender and Women’s Empowerment

The National Ebola Recovery Strategy was developed to address the recovery needs from the EVD epidemic during 2015-2017 with the three main objectives: i) getting to and maintaining zero cases, (ii) implementing immediate recovery priorities, with a special focus on restoring access to basic healthcare, reopening and running of schools in a healthy environment, providing social protection support, and revamping the private sector, including agriculture activities; and (iii) transitioning back into the Agenda for Prosperity plan. Inclusive development and redistribution of the benefits of economic growth are indicated among the priorities of the new government and are reflected in the game changing priorities of the CCA.

SDG 2: End Hunger, Achieve Food Security and Improved Nutrition and Promote Sustainable Agriculture Manifestation of the problem: While the evolution of food poverty shows progress with a 30 percentage points decline of the population leaving under the food poverty line, between 2003 and 2011, the food security situation has followed opposite trends between 2010 and 2015. Food security exists when people, at all times, have physical, social and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food which meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life. In Sierra Leone, nearly half of households did not have access to sufficient and nutritious food in 2015, a 5% increase since 2010. More specifically 8.6% of households were severely food insecure and 41.2% moderately food insecure29. This deterioration has happened despite the positive economic trends prior to the EVD outbreak, which shows the chronic and cyclical nature of food insecurity in the

27 Child marriage in Sierra Leone: strengthening the harmonization of laws-2018 28 Gender Alert: MSWGA/UN Women Gender Impact Assessment of the Floods Sierra Leone: 2016 29 2015 CFSV

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country. Women play a critical role in food production, processing and distribution and are therefore essential

to meeting the agricultural productivity and nutrition targets of Goal 2. The food consumption scores show that 60.2% of the rural households are highly vulnerable. Port Loko, Kailahun, Pujehun, Tonkolili and Kambia have the highest percentages of severe and moderate food insecurity, despite having the highest percentage of households engaged in farming activities. 63% of those rural households spend more than 65% of their budget on food. Only 4% of farmers are self-sufficient in rice and produce enough rice, the staple food, to meet their family’s rice consumption needs for the whole year. In general, the lack of diversity of most households’ diet is a factor of malnutrition. The low level of vitamins A, iron and protein of households’ diet is a nation-wide concern. The diet of two-thirds of Sierra Leonean households contains insufficient level of iron, which has severe health implications in particular for pregnant and lactating mothers. Unequal power relations at the household level render women more vulnerable to food insecurity. Particularly when crises hit or food prices rise, women and girls often become ‘shock absorbers’, consuming less nutritious food themselves in order to support their families and spending more time and energy to secure and process food for domestic consumption. The food security situation has worsened since 2010, both due to the impact of the EVD outbreak, which particularly affected the districts of Kailahun, Kenema and Bombali, and the chronic and structural nature of the factors affecting the farmers’ ability to produce enough food, namely: insufficient demand for agricultural produce, low yields due to traditional agricultural methods, low soil fertility or high costs of production, and poor access to market. 30As a result of the EVD, the rice and cassava productions declined respectively by 15% and 26% from 2013-2014 to 2014-2015. EVD also affected kitchen farming which is an additional source of household food availability. Climate and season-related variations such as the impact of flooding also causes chronic food insecurity in Sierra Leone. The gender impact of food insecurity at household level is include malnutrition in boys and girls who are below five years and stunting for boys and girls above the age of five years.

In 2017, 13.6% of children under five were underweight31, a small progress from 16.4% in 201332 and 21% in 2008 (note that the 2017 figure is from a different data collection source). Smaller progress was also made in reducing acute malnutrition, with a proportion of children under five wasting of 8% in 2013 against 9% in 2008 to. However, 38 % of children under five were found to be stunted, compared to 36% in 2008. These trends show some improvement in the quantity of food received by children but not in the quality. In 2013,75.9% of children aged 6 to 59 months were found anemic33. Morbidity from anemia in children under five years can lead to child mortality. Inappropriate feeding practices on breastfed or weaned children and low level of exclusive breastfeeding remain a large malnutrition factor, with 41% of children 0-6 months not exclusively breastfed34. Children who are not adequately breastfed or weaned have additional vulnerabilities including developmental challenges from such as motor or cognitive and related morbidity.

30 The main constraints to higher productivity reported by farmers are the unavailability of improved seeds (45.5 %), lack of access to credit/money (38.8 %), natural disasters/EVD (37.7 %), insufficient household labourers (31.5 %), pest/crop diseases (27.3 %), lack of tools (24.9 %) and the unavailability of fertilizer (19.2 %). 31 2017 National Nutrition Survey, Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Action against Hunger 32 2013 DHS 33 2013 Sierra Leone Micronutrient Survey, Ministry of Health and Sanitation (Sierra Leone), UNICEF, Helen Keller International, and WHO. 34 2013 DHS

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About 9% of women were found to be under- weight (body mass index < 18.5), while 18 percent were overweight or obese (body mass index > 25), with a higher proportion in rural areas and in the northern and eastern regions. A slightly higher proportion of men (11%) were found to be underweight. Similarly, just 8 % of men were found to be overweight or obese. e Poor nutritional status is a source morbidity and have gender differentiated implications for women and girls, boys and girls.

The Agriculture sector employs 60% (70% female and 30% male - 2015 Census) of the active population of Sierra Leone35, 76.3% of rural households and represents 61.3% of GDP. In 2015, more than 60% of the active population was employed in agriculture. The agriculture sector however is essentially made up of subsistence farming and characterized by low productivity and limited value-added. Yet, only 12% of arable land is cultivated – often using low- productivity techniques. In 2011, only 12.9% of households that owned or operated a farm irrigated at least one of their plots. Women play a critical role in food production, processing and distribution and are therefore essential to meeting the agricultural productivity and nutrition targets of Goal 2. Agriculture methods in Sierra Leone remain essentially based on traditional practices, i.e. rain-fed cultivation and no use of mechanized tools. Slash and burn practices as well as clearing for cattle grazing are detrimental to the environment leading to deforestation and soil depletion. In 2011, 57% in Sierra Leone were crop-producing households, rice being the main crop, produced by 93% of crop-growing households. Yet, in 2011, Sierra Leone was a net importer of rice.

The fisheries sub-sector contributes to 10% of GDP and is the most important economic activity along the coastline of Sierra Leone. Women are on the supply side of the fisheries sub-sector and continue to be meaningfully engaged in the sub-sector. Fish is the largest source of animal protein for majority of Sierra Leoneans, supplying about 80% of total animal protein consumption. Over 500,000 people are directly or indirectly employed in the fishing industry36. The economic and food security potential of the fishing sector is largely untapped by Sierra Leone but is severely undermined by vast illegal fishing activities accounting for 30% of catches by industrial foreign fleet in Sierra Leone.37 The role of women in this sub-sector needs to be effectively factored-in in order to increase management and the value chains thereof. The issue of land rights is an integral part of the many issues preventing the expansion of sustainable agriculture. Sierra Leone has a dual land tenure system, with state-owned and communally-owned lands. Except in the Western area, most of the agricultural land is managed under customary rules of tenure where traditional leaders act as custodians and administer land. Although chiefs can allocate land to “non-residents” with the approval of landowning families, land is generally considered inalienable from the families and chiefdoms and should therefore not be transferred through sales. This situation has not been conducive to investment in productive and modern agriculture by the private sector38. In this land tenure system, women have no right to land ownership. In cases where a married woman is widowed, she may be refused access to family owned land whose tenure is belongs to a man. The Property Inheritance and Ownership ACT 2007 of Sierra Leone should be reviewed to accommodate the issue of land ownership by women as this is a major gap area that impengines in the enjoyment of socio-economic and political rights of women.

Enabling environment/what is done to address the problems

35 2015 Population and Housing Survey 36 Country Yearbook of Sierra Leone 2017 37 War, fish, and foreign fleets: The marine fisheries catches of Sierra Leone 1950–2015”, Berkeley University, 2017 38 World Band, Sierra Leone Agriculture Profile, 2014

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The Scaling-Up Nutrition (SUN) initiative, a multi-sector approach to malnutrition has been at the center of the Government’ strategy to tackle child mortality since 2012. Priorities for the agricultural sector outlined in the Agenda for Prosperity (AfP) include increasing the production of staple crops to increase food security and promoting and increasing value-adding activities for agricultural goods. Furthermore, an Agricultural Research Institute was established by an act of parliament in 2007 with a mandate for agricultural research and technological breakthroughs for the major food crops and livestock.

Under the A4P, the Government has addressed the food security challenges by focusing on increasing the production of staple food crops through the operationalization of the Agricultural Business Centers (ABCs) and increasing the activities of research and extension services with plans that focus on use of technology. By end 2016, 403 ABCs had been established as entities for supporting the provision of inputs for production, provision of machinery and materials for processing, storage and marketing of agricultural products.

Recognizing the potential of digital financial services (DFS) for smallholders, the Ministry of Agriculture created the DFS Task for Smallholders with the Central Bank – Bank of Sierra Leone in 2017. The DFS Task for Smallholders offers opportunity for effectively engaging women in all the context and management areas.

Sustainable and diversified production of food on a scale enough to feed the growing population as well as provide gainful employment is highlighted as one of the main priorities in the ‘New Direction’. The policies that appoint to achieve this goal are indicated in the ‘New Direction’ and it is expected that they will be reflected in the Government’s new development plan. The World Food Programme in conjunction with the government of Sierra Leone is undertaking a strategic review of food security and nutrition that will identify the challenges to be overcome to achieve the “zero hunger” goal by 2030.

SDG 3: Ensure Healthy Lives and Promote Well-Being for All at All Ages Manifestation of the problem: Sierra Leone’s progress in the health sector has stagnated since 2008 and the Ebola outbreak in 2015 made it difficult to know the impact on health outcomes of free healthcare and other health systems reforms put in place during the health sector strategic plan 2010-2015. Death associated with malaria has significantly reduced and the HIV prevalence reached a very low level, although transmission trends that shifted to the youth affected adolescent girls more. The main direct mortality causes remain preventable diseases i.e. malaria, pneumonia, diarrheal diseases, anemia, hemorrhage, hypertension and infection More accelerated progress is required for Sierra Leone to reach its 2030 SDG targets. This should be structured around three interconnected strategic priorities to ensure healthy lives and well-being for all at all ages: achieving universal health coverage, addressing health emergencies and promoting healthier populations. Gender is key in ensuring healthy lives and wellbeing. Indeed, biological differences between women and men—as well as socially determined differences in their rights, roles and responsibilities—undermine the health and well-being of women and girls. Lack of control over resources, gender-based violence, the burden of unpaid care and domestic work, longer working hours and unhealthy work conditions all impede on women’s ability to lead healthy lives. Gender norms and biases shape how women’s health needs are perceived by themselves and by others. At the health systems level, for example, identification and support for women who have been victims of violence is often inadequate. At the household level, gender power relations may mean that women lack the resources to seek medical care or must obtain consent from family members to do so. If we look at the indicators over the last 50 years using the Census data (1974, 1985, 2004, 2015), child mortality has declined by more than half from 182 in 1974 to 67 deaths for 1000 live-births in 2015. More specifically, infant mortality has decreased from 225 to 96 deaths for 1000 live-births, and under-five mortality from 327 to 156 deaths for 1000 live-births. However, this decline mostly

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occurred between 1974 and the end of the war, with progress over for the last 15 years showing a much lower pace of change.

The under-five mortality rate which was 195 deaths for 1000 live-births in 2000, did not improve further between 2008 (140/1000 births) and 2013 (156/1000 births), and gains made may have been reversed39. Likewise, the infant mortality rate which had fallen from 132 per 1000 live-births in 2000, to 89 in 2008, had not improved further by 2013 (92/1000 births). The maternal mortality ratio which had registered progress between 2005 and 2008, from 1800 maternal deaths per 100,000 live-births to 857 per 100,000 live-births40, increased up to 1165 per 100,000 live-births in 2013. The majority of causes of illness and death, especially of children, in Sierra Leone are preventable with most deaths being attributable to nutritional deficiencies, malaria, pneumonia, diarrheal diseases, anemia, tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS41. There are high stillbirth rates nationally, and neonatal mortality has only fallen from 53/1000 to 33/1000 live births between 1990 and 2016 (UN-mortality estimates 2017).

There has been a significant reduction in the deaths associated with malaria, from 4,326 in 2013 to 2,848 in 2015, with increase in the use of insecticide-treated nets including by children under five, from 25.8% in 2008 to 49.2% in 2013. In 2015, routine information indicates that deaths associated with malaria account for 25% of deaths among all ages and 38% among under-five children42.

As seen in the previous section, the nutrition status of children had only partially improved, with increased stunting rates due to food insecurity and inadequate feeding practices. Four in five children in Sierra Leone are anemic, and almost half of children have moderate anemia. Anemia in children is most common in Kono (95%) and Koinadugu (91%), and least common in Bo (67%) and Western Area Urban (69%). While anemia among children does decrease with wealth, still 69% of children in the wealthiest households are anemic. Almost half (45%) of women in Sierra Leone are anemic and half adolescent girls. Pregnant women are slightly more likely to be anemic (54%). Among women, anemia is more common in rural areas (49%) than urban areas (37%). Anemia among women is lowest among the most educated women and those from the wealthiest households43.

Both acute respiratory infections and diarrheal disease continue to affect a high proportion of children

and infants, but progress is made in the search for diagnosis and treatment. In 2013, 11% ofchildren under age five were reported having a diarrheal episode in the two weeks preceding the DHS survey (against 9% in 2008) and 2% had blood in the stool (against 3% in 2008), a sign of disease

orinfection.65% of the children with diarrhea were taken to a health care facility or provider where advice or treatment was sought. This is an improvement from 2008 where less than 47% of the children had been taken to a health facility or provider for treatment44.

Early diagnosis and treatment with antibiotics can prevent a large number of deaths caused by ARI. In the 2013 SLDHS, 5 % of children under age 5 exhibited symptoms of ARI in the two weeks before the survey, and 9% of children aged 6-11 months. This is a 2% reduction from 2008. Children in the Northern region (8%) and particularly in the Koinadugu district (13%) were most likely to exhibit symptoms of ARI. Advice or treatment from a health facility or a health care provider was sought for 72% of children under age 5 with symptoms of ARI, which is significantly more than in 2008 (46%).

Sierra Leone has one of the highest maternal mortality ratios in the world, with 1,165 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births. The main cause of maternal mortality is postpartum hemorrhage, which accounted for 33% of all deaths45 , followed by unsafe abortion among adolescents (25%)46. Almost

39 2008 and 2013 DHS 40 2005 MICs 41 WHO Sierra Leone Health Situation Analysis 42 2013 DHS 43 2013 DHS 44 2013 DHS 45 WHO Maternal Mortality Estimation Inter Agency Group, 2015

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half of maternal death is amongst teenagers, which is not surprising given the high adolescent birth rate of 125 per 1000 live birth47. During 2016, a total of 706 maternal deaths were reported, 80.3% of the reported deaths were in health facilities and almost 26% of these deaths were in the Western Area, and 54.5% were in the age group 25-35 years. Of the reviewed maternal deaths, more than 32% died from Post-Partum Hemorrhage and 16% Pregnancy Induced Hypertension (PIH) as the 2 main causes of death48. These figures are recognized as a gross underestimation of the actual problem since the Maternal Death Surveillance Response system is relatively new with prevailing underreporting of maternal deaths and inadequate health system response following maternal death investigations to avert similar incidences. In addition, the figures come mainly from health facilities and a significant number of maternal deaths occur in the community. There is little data on maternal morbidity and Sierra Leone’s maternal morbidity programs receive less attention and resources compared to mortality reduction strategies although conditions such as obstetric fistula and reproductive track cancers greatly impair the quality of life of many women of reproductive age. There have been limited ad-hoc investments in cervical cancer prevention and management. In the recent Facilities Improvement Team (FIT) assessment report 2016, facilities did not meet the minimum standards to provide emergency obstetric care Signal Functions49. Of the 78 Emergency Obstetric and Neonatal Care facilities assessed only 14% had equipment available to provide either assisted vaginal deliveries or caesarean sections, only 29% had competent health workers with midwifery skills who can provide the life-saving interventions; and only 35% had fully functioning blood or laboratory services. Sierra Leone total fertility rate is 4.9%, with a low Contraceptive Prevalence Rate (16%) and high family planning unmet needs (25%) for currently married women ages 15 to 49 years; and even higher (30.7%) for the 15-19 age group50. The 2017 UNFPA Reproductive Health Commodity Security (RHCS) Supplies Survey indicated that 76.4% of service delivery points reported stock-outs of at least one modern contraceptive methods. In 2016, the survey also indicated that 34.4% of Service Delivery Points (SDPs) reported ‘stock outs’ of some of the 7 maternal and reproductive health medicines including 2 essential life-saving maternal/reproductive health drugs.

Whilst antenatal, sexual and reproductive health access rates are high in Sierra Leone, the quality of care provided is poor, with adolescent birth rates as high as 125 per one thousand births. Furthermore, there is early child bearing with 28 per cent of adolescents 15-19 years having commenced child bearing and 56% of adolescents having a child before the age of 20.

Prevalence of HIV is estimated to be 1.5%51, the same rate since 2008. Prevalence varies by location and is particularly high in Western Area Rural (3.4%), Western Area Urban (2.5%) and Kono (2.5%). An estimated 61,000 individuals are living with HIV as of 2017, including 5500 children52. Roughly 22,700 individuals above 15 years and 980 for children below 15 years are on ART as of the end of 201753. AIDS related annual mortality for all ages is estimated at 2,600 in 2017. The prevalence associated with TB, i.e. the number of new cases per 100,000 people, has been fluctuating since 2006, from 318

46 SSL and ICF International, 2014b 47 2013 DHS 48 Maternal Death Surveillance and Response, Annual Report 2016 49 Facilities Improvement Team Assessment Report, 2016, Department of Reproductive and Child Health, Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Sierra Leone 50 Sierra Leone Demographic and Health Survey, 2013 51 2013 DHS 52 Sierra Leone HIV National Strategic Plan: 2016 - 2020 53 Ministry of Health and Sanitation 2016 Annual Review – National AIDS Control Program Presentation

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to 313 in 2013. Roughly 212 cases per 100,000 population. The treatment success rate is 86.7%, with 97% of TB cases being tested for HIV. A small number of leprosy cases (140) were diagnosed in 2016.

Sierra Leone suffers from a dual burden of Communicable and non-Communicable diseases. There is a paucity of current data on the prevalence of NCDs and behavioral risk factors for NCDs and cancers. The last STEPs Survey was conducted in 2009, and the cancer registry faces many challenges. What data is available however indicates a high prevalence and rising trends of tobacco use, the commonest risk factor for NCDs. The social determinants of health – the conditions in the places where people live, learn, work, and play – the high levels of poverty, social exclusion, poor housing and poor health systems also favor ill health including NCDs. The burden of mental ill health is also high, underscored by the huge need for mental health and psychosocial support services uncovered by the various shocks Sierra Leone has witnessed. Yet NCD prevention and control, as well as mental health services, are not yet integrated into the primary care health services

The free health care initiative for pregnant and lactating women and children does not cover critical services such as family planning and adolescent health services.

Due to the reduction of health personnel caused by the EVD epidemic the maternal mortality could increase by 74% according to a World Bank Study.54 The same study estimated the 2015 infant mortality rate at 121 deaths for 1000 live-birth.

Enabling environment / what has been done about the problem Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health is a priority for the Government of Sierra Leone. This is underscored by the various policies, strategic documents and international commitments that Sierra Leone has signed on to. The National Health Sector Recovery Plan (HSRP) provides the necessary policy foundation for the RMNCAH program which prioritizes restoring key RMNCAH interventions including expanded programs for immunization (EPI), malaria, child and maternal health services to pre- Ebola outbreak levels. A special emphasis is made on teenage pregnancy prevention and improving newborn survival. Globally, Sierra Leone is a signatory to various commitments to ending maternal, newborn, child and adolescent deaths as well as improving their health and wellbeing. This includes the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030, Family Planning 2020, the Africa Health Strategy, The Global Strategy for Women’s, Children’s and Adolescents’ health (2016-2030): A Promise Renewed, the Campaign on Accelerated Reduction of Maternal Mortality in Africa, Every Newborn Action Plan (2015-2035) and the Maputo call to Action among others.

The previous Government’s strategy in the heath sector has been focused on the implementation of its flagship programme of Free healthcare services for pregnant and lactating mothers initiated in 2009. An independent evaluation of this reform commissioned by the Ministry of Health and Sanitation in Sierra Leone and UK-Aid, found that the following gains were achieved initially: - revitalizing of structures for sector governance - increased staffing - better systems for staff management and pay, and for getting funds to the facilities - introduction of new monitoring and evaluation (M&E) systems facility - audits conducted - infrastructure improved from very weak starting points - and a communication campaign initiated.

The evaluation also found that some important areas such as improvements to pharmaceutical procurement and distribution were not effective, and in other areas, such as human resources, reforming momentum was lost over time55.

54 David K. Evans, Markus Goldstein, Anna Popova, July 2015, The Next Wave of Deaths from Ebola? The Impact of Health Care Worker Mortality, World Bank

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Sierra Leone has invested in a national action plan for health security, but it needs to be implemented. The risk for public health emergencies remains high and investments in health security should be sustained and further strengthened to guarantee core capacities are in place

To address the challenges of high out of pocket expenditure at the point of health service delivery, the government has promulgated the Sierra Leone Social Health Insurance (SLeSHI) Act in 2017 and launched it in early 2018 as a prepayment health financing mechanism. The ‘New Direction’ identifies health financing, human resource, disease prevention and control, service delivery and governance in the health sector as the main policies for ensuring increased access of the population (particularly mothers and children) to quality health services in an equitable and efficient manner. The New Direction also highlights policies to prevent teenage pregnancy and its calamitous implications for maternal mortality and the development of the country female population.

Given that intersectionality and interrelatedness of the sources of morbidity are multiples and multidimensional, it might be necessary that a multisectoral approach to addressing maternal morbidity and mortality is instituted encompassing aspects of ending harmful cultural practices such as child marriage; female genital mutilation and addressing teenage pregnancy and the sequalae of negative impacts therein. Such multidisciplinary approach would entail concomitantly working on both the supply and demand to ensure a rights-based approach. A similar approach was implemented during the EVD epidemic to rebuild trust between and amongst women utilizing maternal health facilities and health service care providers as a measure to increase effective utilization of health services by expectant and lactating mothers.

Goal 4. Ensure Inclusive and Equitable Quality Education and Promote Lifelong Learning Opportunities for All Manifestation of the problem: Ensuring that all youth and a substantial proportion of adults, both men and women, achieve literacy and numeracy by 2030 is achievable but require additional effort to speed up improvement of access, retention and efficiency of primary education. Taking into account the growing population of Sierra Leone, this will imply a considerable increase of the education system absorption capacity and tackling the main causes of school drop-out. If an increasing number of children are enrolling at every level, there is still a long way to go for all girls and boys to complete free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education leading to relevant and effective learning outcomes. In the primary education sector access has increased and learning outcomes have been encouraging but many children remain out of school. In the sector of primary education, the Gross Enrolment Rate (GER) stood at approximately 130% in 201656 against 122 in 2010 and 121% in 200457, the girls’ enrolment rate having surpassed the boy’s one. This increase in access to primary education does not seem to be confirmed by the Net Enrolment Rate (NER) that stood at 64%58 in 2004 to reach 65% in 201559. It should be noted that According to the 2015 CFSVA, 10% of girls and 9.9% of boys of primary school age were out of school in 2015. With regards to learning outcomes, the completion rate which had increased from 63 % in 2004 to 76% in 2012/201360, has stagnated at 75.5% in 201661.

55 The Sierra Leone Free Health Care Initiative (FHCI): process and effectiveness review, Heart Team, 2015 56 2016 Annual School Census Report 57 Fifth MDGs Report for Sierra Leone 58 2015 Population and Housing Census 59 Id. 60 Agenda for Prosperity, Annual school census report

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Access to Secondary Education remains very low, in particular for girls, and learning outcomes have only improved in Junior Secondary School. The GER for Secondary shows low participation levels although higher in 2016 than 2015 and decreases as we proceed to higher level of schooling. In 2016, the GER for Junior Schools and Senior Schools were respectively 65.5% and 29.5%62, with higher rate for boys than girls. The evolution of secondary completion rate for junior schools from 49% in 2012/201363 to 64.5% in 201664shows an increasing efficiency of the system, with higher completion rates for boys than girls. However, there has been almost no progress in learning outcomes in Senior Secondary Education65, with a girls’ completion rate of only 24.5%. Access to secondary school level is still limited by a lesser number of schools at this level. In pre-primary education, the GER has doubled since 2010 but remains very low at 13.7%.

In 2016, the pupil to teacher ratio nationwide was in average 32 pupils to one teacher, with the highest number of children of a teacher in primary school (38) and the lowest in preschool (23), reaching up to 40 in the Southern and Northern regions.

Teachers’ qualification remains a great challenge at all levels. In pre-primary and primary education, on average, 48% of teachers had no formal training in 201666. This situation affecting learning outcomes is further exacerbated by inadequate teaching and learning materials and the fact that only 49 %of teachers are on government payroll, which contributes to governance and teacher management challenges and compromises the integrity of the whole education system.

According to a Ministry of Finance and Economic Development (MoFED) publication in July 2015, a good proportion of the 3 million children lived in communities affected by EVD had to engage in activities for household survival such as petty trading. The risk that those children have stayed out of school even after the crisis is high, especially those from the poorest households.

In 2016. 37% of school going children are out of school, an increase from 22 per cent in 201367.

The tertiary education system in Sierra Leone comprises universities and other types of tertiary education institutions. Other institutions include teacher training colleges (producing teachers for primary and junior secondary schools), polytechnics, and TVET institutes. The enrolment of students in public TEIs alone has increased by more than 50% between 2007 and 2011, from 19,692 to 31,103 students (World Bank 2013). According to the SABER-Tertiary Education diagnostic there exists separate legislation for the universities, polytechnics and TVET institutions. Most of the regulation is somewhat outdated, and there are gaps in the regulation of private tertiary education providers. No independent quality assurance agency for tertiary education in Sierra Leone. The main regulatory bodies, the Tertiary Education Commission and the National Council for Technical and Vocational Training have some emerging quality assurance practices to build on. There is no systematic data collection on tertiary education.

In 201568, 47.7 % of Sierra Leone’s population age 15-49 was literate, a 12 percentage points increase from 200869, 37 % in the rural areas, which is almost half of the urban proportion of 70 %. Literacy among men was higher than among women, with 59 % of men who were literate compared to 44 % of women. The highest illiteracy rates were from Kambia, Koinadugu, Port Loko, Tonkolili, Bonthe,

61 2016 Annual School Census Report 62 2016 Annual School Census Report 63 Agenda for Prosperity, Annual school census report 64 2016 Annual School Census Report 65 According to the Annual School census, Secondary completion rates in SSS were 26% in 2012/2013 and 27.6% in 2016 66 2016 Annual School Census report 67 2016 National Assessment of the Situation of Out of School Children in Sierra Leone 68 2015 Population and Housing Census 69 According to 2008 DHS, 35.5 % of the adult population age 15-49 of Sierra Leone was literate in 2008; according to 2013 DHS, 44.5% of the adult population age 15-49 of Sierra Leone was literate in 2013

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Moyamba and Pujehun. Among the population age 15-24, the literacy rate was approximately 67% in 2015, an 11 percentage points increase from 56.2% in 200870.

Enabling environment / what has been done about the problem The A4P aims to improve education access, completion and equity were to ensure free access to primary education by 2018, and to greatly improve access to all levels of education including through targeted programmes to encourage attendance by the most marginalized and to address access, particularly for the poorest children, children living with disability, girls and young women. An education capacity development strategy was planned to address the deficiencies of the education service delivery in the following areas: human resource management, teacher management, planning and coordination, decentralization, financial capacity, communications and information- sharing, systems data and records management, monitoring and supervision of institutions, procurement and distribution of teaching and learning materials. The EVD crisis hit the country before the Education Sector Plan 2014-2018 could yield results. A two-year Transition Plan for the Education Sector has been developed to adjust to the post-EVD situation and to include as a priority the tackling of mismanagement and malpractices observed throughout the system in particular in the examination. The new President, H.E. Brig (Rtd) Julius Maada Bio, has announced that free quality education will be the key programme of his administration for the next five years. As an immediate policy, the President has decided to split the Ministry of Education into the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education and Ministry of Tertiary Education. A new Directorate for Science, Technology and Innovation has been established in the office of the Chief Minister. SDG 5: Achieve Gender Equality and Empower All Women and Girls

Manifestation of the problem: In Sierra Leone, women constitute approximately 51% of the country’s population. The gender inequality index is 0.65 placing Sierra Leone at the 151th rank71, and the situation of women and girls’ rights remains very alarming. Progress has been made in the girls’ access to primary education, but the few available indicators show very high level of discrimination, violence against women and girls and harmful practices. Women’s participation in the economic life is still characterized by non-productive employment and is limited by the lack of access to land ownership. Their participation in the political life, despite progress, remains very low. The challenges of gender equality in Sierra Leone are deeply rooted in the political fabric and power structures and constitute major impediments to progress of the country’s overall outcomes.

In the education sector, improvement of girls to boys ratios has been achieved with parity in the primary level, partly due to a comprehensive national girl-child programme, under which the government pays the fees of all female pupils. However, completion rates at all levels are lower for girls than boys. Furthermore, if girls’ access to primary education has much improved, in secondary school girls’ participation only reaches 45% (27% in senior secondary schools)72. Women’s literacy standing at 44% remains much below men’s literacy73.

The Government of Sierra Leone has enacted various laws to ensure the protection and promotion of the rights of women and children. The National Policy on the Advancement of Women and the

70 According to 2013 DHS, 69% of Sierra Leone’s population age 25-24 was literate in 2013 71 2015 Human Development Report 72 2016 Annual School Census 73 2015 National Population and Housing Census

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National Policy on Gender Mainstreaming – were adopted in 2009 to guide the government’s gender-equality aspirations. In spite of the efforts made to close the gender gaps, considerable disparities still exist. Sierra Leone ranked 139 out of 148 countries in the 2013 Human Development Report’s gender inequality index. In Sierra Leone, only 9.5% of adult women have reached a secondary or higher level of education compared to 20.4% of their male counterparts. Women continue to suffer from significant inequalities in terms of literacy rates, access to land, and legal protection. Female participation in the labor market is 66.3% compared to 69.1% for males. Women have made strides to attain gender equality in key decision-making positions; they currently occupy 12.9% of parliamentary seats. An affirmative action bill allocating 30% of leadership positions to women is pending a constitutional review. The Government has prioritized gender issues in its A4P, by having a dedicated pillar for gender and women’s empowerment, as well as mainstreaming these themes in the other pillars.74

According to a CEDAW survey in 2009, 63% of women in urban areas and 84% in rural areas are engaged in the informal sector, hampered from reaching their potential by poor and unequal access to land (based on customary practices), skills training, appropriate technology, functional literacy and information on markets and finance.75 In 2015, the Ministry of Education instituted a discriminatory policy barring “visibly pregnant girls” from attending school and sitting their Basic Education Certificate Examination, therefore depriving pregnant girls from their right to education. Sierra Leone has one of the highest rate of adolescent pregnancy in the world, with 13% of adolescent girls aged 15-19 years pregnant or already having given birth at least once76. If this proportion has declined compared to 34% in 200877, this problem remains a major source of discrimination against girls and one of the main causes of school drop-out.

Furthermore, despite being illegal since 2007, Sierra Leone ranks as number 19 among the countries with the highest child marriage prevalence globally. In 2013, child marriage is still a widespread practice, with 39% of women aged 20 to 24 years first married or in union before age 1878. The age of consent stated in the Registration of Customary Marriage Act of 2007 is not aligned with the age of

consent (18 years) from the Child Rights Act(2007).

Child marriage is typically higher in rural areas because of greater adherence to traditional norms, a narrower range of life options, stronger community networks, lower educational opportunities, and higher levels of poverty – girls from the poorest households or those living in rural areas face twice the risk of being married before turning 18 as compared with girls from the richest households or those living in urban areas. The rates of child marriage are particularly high and above 50% in the following districts: Koinadugu (57.7%); Kambia (52.3%); Pujehun (52.2%); Moyamba (50.8%); Port Loko (50.4%). A larger proportion of teenage pregnancies occur in rural areas – 34% compared to 19% in urban

74 Beijing +15 Report, 2016 75 6th Sierra Leone CEDAW periodic report, 2014 75 USAID Land Tenure Profile, 2016 75 Sierra Leone has had four national elections, in 1996, 2002, 2007, and 2012. In 2012, 16 women were elected to

Parliament, falling short of the 13.7 percentwho were in the parliament of 2007 and the 30 percent recommended by the

Beijing Platform for Action. At the executive level, steady progress has been made, as the number of Presidential appointees (cabinet ministers, deputy ministers, and ambassadors) has increased. Elections for local councils were also conducted in 2012 for councillors, mayors, and chairpersons. Women were elected as 16.7 percent of mayors, 7 percent of chairpersons, 66.7 percent of deputy majors, and 19.1 percent of councillors. In Kailahun, the number of elected female councillors increased from 3 to 12, and Koinadugu District increased its number of female councillors from 6 in 2008 to 8 in 2012. In Makeni City Council, the mayor and deputy are women, and 7 out of the 15 councillors are also women. Positions taken by women include; (the immediate past) Chief Justice, Solicitor General, Administrator-Registrar General, Commissioner General of National Revenue Authority, Commissioner of Law Reform Commission, Auditor General, Commissioners of National Elections Commission including the former Chief Electoral Commissioner, Ministers and Deputy Ministers of Government, Honourable Members of Parliament, Ambassadors, Heads of Chanceries, Executive Secretaries, Commissioners of Human Rights Commission, Heads of Agencies and Parastatals, among others. 76 2013 DHS 77 2008 DHS 78 2013 DHS

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areas. Within the country, the rate of teenage pregnancy is particularly high in Pujehun (48%); Kailahun (36.8%); Moyamba (36.8%); Port Loko (35.2%); Tonkolili (33.2%); Koinadugu (32.8%); Bonthe (32.7%) and Kenema (32.2%). A major consequence of this early marriage and child bearing is the related high maternal mortality79.

Female genital cutting/mutilation is also a prevalent practice in Sierra Leone. In 2013, 89.6% of girls and women aged 15 to 49 years had undergone Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), 94% in rural areas, and 81% in urban areas. As education or wealth increases, the percentage of women circumcised decreases80. This practice has a slightly lower prevalence in women whose mothers have secondary education or higher than women whose mothers have no education 81. Northern districts have the highest rates, whereas the West has the lowest and these correspond to rural and urban trends. FGM in Sierra Leone is part of initiation into secret women’ societies, known as Bondo (Sande). 90% of women are members of Bondo and these women’ societies exist in all ethnic groups, except the Krio. As part of this social norm rationale, cutting is considered anatomically necessary for a girl to become gendered female. Uncut women are also often labelled as unclean. There is furthermore a common belief that FGM is more aesthetically acceptable. Other reasons FGM is practiced include it being necessary to preserve a girl’s virginity, and a small minority (of Mende ethnicity) believe that it is a religious requirement82. There is no law that criminalizes FGM outright in Sierra Leone, and the Government remains indecisive with respect to eradication efforts. The Child Rights Act is silent on addressing FGM as a harmful traditional practice. Additionally, the AfP provides a prohibition of FGM for girls under the age of 18.

In 2013, 45% of ever-partnered women aged 15-49 years had experienced intimate partner physical and/or sexual violence at least once in their lifetime and 29% aged 15-49 had experienced physical and/or sexual violence in the last 12 months, 88.7% of which were reported to have been perpetrated by current or former husband or partners83. Sexual violence remains an extremely sensitive issue. The DHS report demonstrates that sexual violence is mostly perpetrated by a person known to the victim, with less than 5% of sexual violence perpetrated by a stranger. The main perpetrators of violence are current husbands or partners, or ex-partners. Among women that have been married who have experienced sexual violence, the majority (59%) report that the violence was committed by their current husband/partner; 30 % report by a former husband/partner as the perpetrator, and 7% report a current/former boyfriend.

This early engagement in motherhood and marital life as well as the widespread violence against women and girls, including through harmful practices such as FGM, are major impediments to women’s participation in the economic, social and democratic life of the country, with massive consequences on the country overall economic and social development. This situation can for a large part be attributed to the traditional stereotypes regarding the roles and responsibilities of women and men in society and, in particular, in the family, and the persistence of patriarchal norms that reinforce male dominance, especially among rural communities84.

With regards to gender parity in the labor market, some progress has been made in the non-agriculture employment. In 2015, the proportion of women working outside the agricultural sector was approximately 33%, an increase from 23.2 % in 200585. According to the most recent Population

79 2013 DHS 80 2013 DHS 81 Owolabi Bjälkander, African Journal of Reproductive Health December 2012, Female Genital Mutilation in Sierra Leone: who are the decision makers? 82 Country Profile: FGM in Sierra Leone; June 2014; 28 too many; FGM..Let's end it' 83 2013 DHS 84 6th CEDAW periodic report, 2014 85 Draft Gender Policy Research Paper, Towards the Implementation of an SDGs Investment Plan in Sierra Leone, 2017

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and Housing Census, 44.8% of employed women were working in non-agriculture employment. According to the 2014 Labor Survey, men earn nearly three times as much as women in wage employment, more than 2.5 times as much in non-agricultural self-employment, and nearly double in agricultural self-employment. These disparities in employment and wage rates affect women’s opportunities discourage women from seeking formal-sector employment and also reflects their low status in the society, low skills training and educational levels, and poor career and promotion prospects. With 84% of rural and 63% of urban women operating in the informal sector86, women dominate the informal economy, where social-protection provisions are inexistent, wages low and working conditions poor.

Until the recently enacted new Land Policy, there was no legal framework (including customary law) in place to guarantee women’s equal rights to land ownership and other entitlements. The 2007 Devolution of Estate Act provides for a woman’s right to inherit her deceased husband’s property if he dies intestate. In practice, in some regions such as northern Sierra Leone, inheritance is denied to most women87. Despite provisions in the formal law supporting women’s rights, few women own land in Sierra Leone. The latest Food Security Survey and Vulnerability Assessment found that 20% of women having access to land88 were landowners, with the highest percentage being in Koinadugu (38.8%), followed by Pujehun (27.6%) and Kailahun (24.3%). The new Land policy lays out provisions to guarantees women equal rights to and control over land. In the public sector, some progress has been made in terms of employment of women in the public service from 6% in 2012 to 10% in 2010. Furthermore, women have been appointed to a number of key positions in Sierra Leone: Commissioner General of the National Revenue Authority, Administrator and Registrar General, Director, General of Sierra Leone Roads Authority, Solicitor General, Auditor General, Chief Justice (retired, now High Commissioner to Ghana), Brigadier General, Chairperson of the Environmental Protection Agency, National Electoral Commission provincial commissioners, and several more as chairpersons of various parastatals. Women’s participation in political life remains limited. 89 The CEDAW reports concerns about the low participation of women in decision-making and the lack of measures to address the underlying causes, including prevailing social and cultural attitudes. It also raises concerns about the absence of an overall quota system that aims at accelerating women’s participation in political life, including in decision-making at all levels, and warns that under the Chieftaincy Act “women may be precluded from standing for election in chieftaincy elections based on tradition”90. However, the cabinet of President Koroma in 2016 had a total of 8 women – the largest number of women ever appointed to full cabinet rank. In 2018, 13% (17 women) of elected members of Parliament were female.

86 6th CEDAW periodic report, 2014 87 USAID Land Tenure Profile, 2016 88 This precision was not in the survey but seems to be missing 89 Sierra Leone has had four national elections, in 1996, 2002, 2007, and 2012. In 2012, 16 women were elected to

parliament, falling short of the 13.7 percentwho were in the parliament of 2007 and the 30 percent recommended by the

Beijing Platform for Action. At the executive level, steady progress has been made, as the number of Presidential appointees (cabinet ministers, deputy ministers, and ambassadors) has increased. Elections for local councils were also conducted in 2012 for councillors, mayors, and chairpersons. Women were elected as 16.7 percent of mayors, 7 percent of chairpersons, 66.7 percent of deputy majors, and 19.1 percent of councillors. In Kailahun, the number of elected female councillors increased from 3 to 12, and Koinadugu District increased its number of female councillors from 6 in 2008 to 8 in 2012. In Makeni City Council, the mayor and deputy are women, and 7 out of the 15 councillors are also women. Positions taken by women include; (the immediate past) Chief Justice, Solicitor General, Administrator-Registrar General, Commissioner General of National Revenue Authority, Commissioner of Law Reform Commission, Auditor General, Commissioners of National Elections Commission including the former Chief Electoral Commissioner, Ministers and Deputy Ministers of Government, Honourable Members of Parliament, Ambassadors, Heads of Chanceries, Executive Secretaries, Commissioners of Human Rights Commission, Heads of Agencies and Parastatals, among others. 90 CEDAW Report 2014

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Enabling environment / what has been done about the problem Over the past twenty years and more specifically since 2007, Sierra Leone made some progress with regards to the policy and legal frameworks to support the advancement of women and girls. The government of Sierra Leone signed and ratified the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) in 1988, as well as committed to the Beijing Platform for Action, the United Nations Security Resolution Council (UNSCRs) 1325 and 1820, the African Union Declaration on Gender Equality and Development and the ECOWAS Protocols on Women and Development. In 2000, the Ministry developed the twin policies namely: National Policy on the Advancement of Women and the National Gender Mainstreaming Policy. The Government of Sierra Leone then enacted various laws to ensure the protection and promotion of the rights of women and children, such as the Anti-Human Trafficking Act (2005), the Sierra Leone Citizenship Amendment Act (2006), the Prevention and Control of HIV/AIDS Act (2007); and the ‘Gender Justice Laws’ namely Domestic Violence Act (2007), Registration of Customary Marriage and Divorce Act (2009), Devolution of Estates Act (2007); Child Rights Act (2007) making child marriage illegal, and the Sexual Offences Act (2012). The enactment of these laws has set the pace for the promotion of gender equality and women’s empowerment; however legal loopholes such as the existence of a legal provision in the Registration of Customary Marriage and Divorce Act that allows child marriage subject to parental consent, remain.

To support the implementation of these legislations, the government developed national action plans including two National Gender Strategic Plan (2010-2013 and 2014-2017); the new Ministry of Social Welfare, Gender and Children’s Affairs Strategic Plan (2013-2018), Sierra Leone National Action on UNSCR 1325 and 1820 (2010-2014); the National Action Plan on GBV (2012) and the National Referral Protocol on GBV (2012) - among others. The A4P adopted two-prong approaches: mainstreaming gender and in the entire document whilst having Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment pillar. The Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Pillar has four main clusters including governance, violence against women and girls, education and economic empowerment of women.

A national strategy for the reduction of teenage pregnancy and child marriage was finalized this year and is awaiting dissemination91. This strategy urges review and development of policies that contribute to reductions in teenage pregnancy and child marriage including support for adolescent friendly health centers, support for schools to provide comprehensive sexuality education and adequate facilities for maintenance of menstrual hygiene, and support of community structures to improve the wellbeing of adolescents.

Cases of by-laws banning FGC adopted by the chiefdoms have been observed, as well as memorandum of understanding between chieftaincies and local heads of secret societies related to necessary consent of women and girls. A draft National Strategy for the Reduction of FGM/C 2016-2020 was developed by the MSWGCA and partners in 2015 and is yet to be approved.

The National Strategy for Financial Inclusion 2017 – 2020 sets the target that 50% of those with financial services will be women.

Gender equality, equity, empowerment, and protection of the rights of women are highligthed in the New Direction, either as mainstreamed interventions, or as stand-alone initiatives. The New Government has also committed to transform the current Gender Directorate in the Ministry of Gender, Children Affairs and Social Welfare into a National Commission for Gender Affairs in order to ensure that proper attention and resources will be dedicated to the development of women.

91 2018 Draft National Strategy for The Reduction of Teenage Pregnancy and Child Marriage, MOHS, 2018.

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SDG 6: Ensure Availability and Sustainable Management of Water and Sanitation for All Manifestation of the problem: Manifestation of the problem: Sierra Leone is rich in water resources. Internally renewable water resources are over 29,000 km3 per capita, which is six times the average for Africa92. Yet, in 201593, only 58% of the population had access to an improved source of drinking water, which was an improvement from 2000, when only 39% of the population had access to an improved source of drinking water9495. In order to achieve universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all by 2030, Sierra Leone needs to accelerate its efforts to better manage and distribute water resources throughout the country and in particular in rural areas. The use of adequate sanitation remains a challenge in Sierra Leone where only 15% of the population had access to improved sanitation facility in 2015, a small progress since 2000 (10%)96. This situation, together with poor hygiene practices, has major consequences on the health status of the population leading to the largest causes of death in Sierra Leone. More than 80% of under-five deaths at the hospital level can be traced back to environmental health and sanitation related causes. Over 50% of child mortality is associated with these prevailing poor water and sanitation services97. The EVD epidemics exposed the lack of progress in the WASH sector in Sierra Leone and further exacerbated the situation by diverting the limited capacities and resources from the already weak services98. Safe drinking water and sanitation are particularly important for women and girls, who are most often the primary users, providers and managers of water in their households. Where running water is unavailable at home, women and girls are the ones forced to travel long distances to meet household water needs. Ill health caused by a lack of adequate water and sanitation increases the need to care for sick family members, a responsibility that falls primarily on women and girls. Women are also susceptible to greater health risks from certain water and sanitation related diseases, such as trachoma, because of their caring role.89 During labour and childbirth, a hygienic environment, including safe water and sanitation, is paramount for the survival and health of both mother and child. The lack of adequate sanitation facilities may expose women and girls to illness, safety risks and violence at school, at work and in their communities—hampering their ability to learn, earn an income and move e around freely. In 2015, 75% of the urban population had access to at least a basic source of drinking water99. Whilst access to safe water in urban areas has considerably improved, it is inequitable and increasingly becoming unsustainable. The rapidly growing urban population, proliferation of slums and unplanned development all put pressure on the water distribution system in urban areas, in particular Freetown. Increased deforestation in the catchment areas has resulted in regular shortage of water in Freetown. 90% of the water supply in Freetown comes from the Guma dam. The distribution network has become inadequate to cater for the increased population of the city and is highly vulnerable to climate effects including damage by flooding. Among the challenges the water distribution faces are the long duration to get connections; a high percentage of illegal connections, which stands at 40% according to the Guma Valley Water Company; long periods of downtime; an unwillingness to pay; low tariffs; low meter coverage; old and non-functional pipes and cuttings that prevent the proper management of supply; and uncoordinated urban planning. This inadequacy in reach and availability has forced the urban population to fetch water from unsafe sources, significantly increasing the hazards to health and the risk of disease.

92 Agenda for Prosperity 93 The latest UNICEF WASH baseline survey and water point mapping estimated at 51.8% the proportion of the households having access to an improved water source for their drinking water. 94 UNICEF-WHO Joint Monitoring of Progress on Water, Sanitation ad Hygiene, 2017 Report 95 The 2013 DHS estimated at 59.5% the proportion of the population having access to an improved water source 96 Id. 97 National Water and Sanitation Policy 2010 98 National Ebola Recovery Strategy 99 UNICEF-WHO Joint Monitoring of Progress on Water, Sanitation ad Hygiene, 2017 Report

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Rural access to water has improved but less than half of the rural population had access to at least basic drinking water in 2015. This is a significant improvement from 24% in 2000100 Rapid and unplanned urbanization and settlements, coupled with inadequate infrastructure and services for solid waste disposal, presents considerable challenges to the task of improving sanitation. In 2015, only 8% of the rural population had access to at least basic sanitation compared to 4% in 2000, and 24% urban dwellers compared to 21% in 2000101. The most common toilet facility is the open pit (29%), which is much more likely to be used in rural areas (35%) than in urban areas (16%)102. 27% of rural populations practice open defecation103. The lack of access to water and sanitation has a considerable impact on hygiene practices. In 2016, only 35% of households had access to handwashing facility, and only 16.4% of households had both soap and water available. Handwashing before certain activities such as eating or preparing food was below 20%, and awareness that handwashing should be undertaken is only slightly higher. 57.2% of schools had functional handwashing facilities with 30% of these having both soap and water 27% missing either soap or water104.

Sierra Leone therefore is rich in water resources but significant threats need to be addressed. In the West African region, Sierra Leone ranks second after Liberia in volume of actual renewable water availability. The vast groundwater and surface water resources of Sierra Leone are unevenly distributed in space and time, largely influenced by the rainy and dry season and increasingly impacted by climate change. In 2016, over a third of households had some months where they could not use their main water source105. In addition, a number of risks are threatening water, in particular water quality, increased industrial activities, increased unregulated damming, industrial type agriculture, environmental degradation causing soil erosion, drainage of wetlands and pollution of rivers as well as the rapid increase in the number of mining companies whose activities, particularly processing of ores, will impact water uptake and use106. Unregulated exploitation of natural resources and subsistence farming practices have led, among others, to massive deforestation, which has a significant impact on water resources availability.

Considering that almost half of the population of Sierra Leone is using unprotected water source such as freestanding water, ponds and unprotected wells, which are sources of infections and parasites, the lack of access to safe water leads the largest cause of death in Sierra Leone. Poor sanitation and hygiene practices exposes the populations to high risk of hepatitis A and Typhoid fever and is a vector of disease transmission in general, including the deadliest Malaria disease in Sierra Leone, since still water breeds malaria-carrying mosquitoes. Recent EBV outbreak was also exacerbated by poor hygiene practices particularly handwashing with soap. Consequently therefore, addressing the needs for water and sanitation would contribute to solving a large proportion of the health problems in the country. As long as safe drinking water, adequate sanitation and proper hygiene practices are not accessible to the population of Sierra Leone, malnutrition and child mortality will remain at alarming levels, school attendance and performance (particularly among girls) will continue to be low and the economic and

100 UNICEF-WHO Joint Monitoring of Progress on Water, Sanitation ad Hygiene, 2017 Report 101 According to the 2013 DHS, 6.9% of the rural population has access to improved sanitation facility, and 26.1% of urban dwellers 102 2013 DHS 103 UNICEF-WHO Joint Monitoring of Progress on Water, Sanitation ad Hygiene, 2017 Report 104 2016 WASH baseline survey 105 2016 WASH baseline survey 106 An Agenda for Prosperity

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social development of communities and the nation as a whole will continue to be impeded by weak human capital and poverty. Enabling environment /what has been done about the problem In the AfP the Government committed to the efficient and sustainable management of Water

Resources for the benefit of current and future generations, by undertaking the following:

1. Developing comprehensive plans for the integrated management and efficient use of water resources: the plans will emphasize sustainable water use and management, considering the requirements of agriculture, fisheries, drinking water, industries including mining and energy, demand for extraction of building materials from river beds, tourism, watershed management, water quality and ecosystems conservation.

2. Developing an institutional framework that addresses fundamental human needs, ecosystems, conservation and promotes local participation in management of water resources, in view of the needs of women, while recognizing, consistent with the Dublin Principles, that water is also an economic good.

3. Encouraging capacity building efforts to make available the knowledge and the skills necessary to

manage water resources at various levels.

4. Developing appropriate legal and regulatory frameworks.

5. Strengthening basic and professional training institutions in water management or create them where necessary.

6. Monitor and assess water resources availability (surface and groundwater), qualitatively and quantitatively.

7. As part of the objective one of the Environmental Health and Sanitation department of the Ministry of Health and Sanitation, three sub-objectives pertain to improving the enabling environment for access to safe water and adequate sanitation.

o (Housing): To Develop a framework for the inspection and control of housing and country planning activities to address environmental health and sanitation issues in

building plans andcompound layouts. o 1.3. (Integrated Waste Management): To ensure that all health facilities, educational

establishments, all manufacturing and mining industries, business firms, public buildings, markets, parks, households and rural communities are practicing environmentally safe methods of waste disposal.

o (WASH): To improve WASH through the development of technical guidelines for construction of sanitation facilities; and to increase supportive supervision,

monitoring and testing of potable water and sanitation services

A commitment to increase Government’s investment in water and sanitation is indicated in the New Direction, while the ‘special cleaning day’ has already been re-introduced.

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2) PROSPERITY - Economic Progress and Growth

SDG 7. Ensure Access to Affordable, Reliable, Sustainable and Modern Energy for All

Manifestation of the problem: The 2015 National and Population Census estimated that 17.8% of households have access to electricity for cooking and lighting, an improvement from 4.1% in 2004. According to the 2013 DHS, 13.5% of households have access to electricity supplied by the national grid, and only 1% of the rural population. The energy consumption in Sierra Leone is dominated by inefficient and polluting fuels such as kerosene for lighting and biomass such as wood fuel and charcoal for cooking, which accounts for 90% of the total energy used107. The economy has mainly depended on the consumption of petroleum product for commercial energy. This situation had negative effects on health and environment due, among other things, to greenhouse gas emissions and deforestation generated by fuelwood consumption. Yet, Sierra Leone is naturally rich in primary renewable energy resources such as hydro, solar, wind and bioenergy (biomass) that remain largely untapped108. Safe drinking water and sanitation are particularly important for women and girls, who are most often the primary users, providers and managers of water in their households. Where running water is unavailable at home women and girls are the ones forced to travel long distances to meet household water needs. Ill health caused by a lack of adequate water and sanitation increases the need to care for sick family members, a responsibility that falls primarily on women and girls. Women are also susceptible to greater health risks from certain water and sanitation related diseases, such as trachoma, because of their caring role.89 During labour and childbirth, a hygienic environment, including safe water and sanitation, is paramount for the survival and health of both mother and child. The lack of adequate sanitation facilities may expose women and girls to illness, safety risks and violence at school, at work and in their communities—hampering their ability to learn, earn an income and move e around freely. Hydro-power through the Bumbuna Hydro power plant has been the largest energy resource for electricity generation since the 70’s, contributing together with the Dodo and Guma hydro plants to approximately 85% of the total installed grid-connected generated energy. However, the power generated by both the hydro and the thermal power plants, dependent on high costs of imported fuels, has been highly insufficient to meet the country’s increasing power demand and only respond to less than 10% of the population needs while being highly subsidized by the Government. Outside the power supply deficit, transmission and distribution deficiencies have been major impediments to expanding electricity supply. An important bottleneck has been the structural and operational weaknesses of the then National Power Authority (NPA) and more specifically inadequate technical, operational and financial management capacity, inaccurate customer data base, and dysfunctional metering, billing and revenue collection systems and poor accounting, leading to low levels of commercial and operational performance. The Ministry of Energy and Water Resources (now the Ministry of Energy), which supervised a vertically integrated national utility, without a regulatory authority has also been understaffed and lacking the skills and resources needed to efficiently run the sector109. The investment needed for the exploration of renewable energy is a massive long-term endeavor, while reforming the existing power

107 Sierra Leone National Renewable Energy Policy 2016 108 A study conducted by UNIDO (Hydropower Potentials in Sierra Leone, UNIDO, 2013) estimates hydropower potentials to about 5,000 MW covering 300 sites nationwide 109 World Bank 2018

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supply, management and distribution systems have been immediate priorities for reform during 2012-2017. The challenge for Sierra Leone remains to accelerate a two-tier approach both reforming the current energy sector and engaging in long-term plans to produce and distribute power from renewable energy sources. If the reform is engaged, the following shortcomings remain to be corrected in order to generate sufficient power supply and provide adequate transmission and distribution of electricity to all Sierra Leoneans:

- insufficient funding to secure fuel supply,

- neither rule of contract nor regular payment flow between public-owned generator (EGTC)

and single- buyer distributor (EDSA),

- absence of bankable public utilities (both EGTC and EDSA)

- limited regulation of the public utilities that are operating under provisional licenses without

any social, technical or financial obligation

- high technical and non-technical losses and poor collections from post-paying consumers,

- non-cost recovery retail tariff and inadequate tariff structure where the industrial and

commercial consumers pay more per unit than the households, and

- insufficient funds for capital investment.110

Rapid progress in this sector is vital as the quasi non-existent electricity supply in rural areas has deprived the majority of the country’s population from business opportunities and access to functioning health facilities or modern technologies such as fridges, and generally contributed to high levels of poverty. Enabling environment /what has been done about the problem: Improving energy supply occupies an important part of the AfP. Various projects to improve and develop the supply of energy are underway including rural electrification. Institutional and regulatory frameworks reforms have also been undertaken. The restructuring of the energy sector started in 2011 with the National Electricity Act that split the National Power Authority into two entities, namely the Electricity Distribution and Supply Authority (EDSA) and the Electricity Generation and Transmission Company (EGTC). A National Electricity and Water Regulatory Commission was created with the mandate to formulate, implement, monitor quality and compliance, provide tariff guidelines, licenses and implement regulatory frameworks for the safe, secure, affordable and reliable supply of water and electricity in Sierra Leone. A Renewable Energy Policy was ratified by the Parliament in 2016 and launched in 2018 with the objectives of diversifying the energy sources of the country and ensuring adequate, reliable, affordable, equitable and sustainable access to energy supply. The policy aims at providing the enabling institutional framework, fiscal and financial incentives required to foster investment in the sector and acquisition of renewable energy devices. The Government also embarked on an ambitious plan to grow the demand for rural electrification through the electrification of 50 remote villages by solar mini grids to be operated commercially by private operators. The project included the further electrification of 54 Community Health Centers to be provided with free solar generated electricity. A further 40 larger mini grids are also to be developed through private investment.

110 Electricity Sector Reform roadmap 2017-2030, Ministry of Energy of Sierra Leone

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Sierra Leone is also part of the CLSG (Cote d’Ivoire, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea) interconnection Line which is set to connect Sierra Leone’s electricity supply with supply from 3 neighboring countries. This is planned to become operational in 2019 and provide power to a further 28 villages close in proximity to the line. In August 2017 the Millennium Challenge Coordinating Unit (MCCU), together with the Ministry of Energy, launched the "Electricity Sector Reform Roadmap 2017-2030", with a vision for the Electricity Sector up to 2030. The Electricity Sector Reform Roadmap (2017-2030) aims to:

• Increase understanding among stakeholders of the new organization of the electricity sector and operations of the various sector activities aiming at providing public service electricity supply to all population, non-commercial services and business activities in Sierra Leone.

• Provide a comprehensive discussion of the nature, function, and costs of services for the various electricity supply options.

• Identify the most important actions required in the short, medium and long term that will successfully develop the electricity sector and expand electricity generation and access in order to support GoSL policy goals.

• Articulate actions to support progress towards short- (next 3 years), mid- (up to 2025) and long-term (up to 2030) goals.

SDG 8: Promote Sustained, Inclusive and Sustainable Economic Growth, Full and Productive Employment and Decent Work for All Manifestation of the problem: Between 2005 and 2011, Sierra Leone GDP annual growth rates per capita varied between 0.3% and 5%, at an average of 2.5%. A slow economic recovery significantly accelerated in 2012 and 2013 after the discovery of iron ore in 2011. Growth peaks occurred in both years with respective GDP rates per capita of 12.5% and 18%. In 2014 and 2015, external shocks and the EVD epidemics led to the collapse of per capita GDP growth rates to 2.2% and -22.2% respectively, hereby revealing the fragility of Sierra Leone’s economy, and its high dependence on global commodity markets. In 2015, economic growth resumed with per capita GDP rates back to positive levels reaching 2%111. The 2015 Population and Housing Census revealed that 55% of the population economically active of Sierra Leone (1,218,080) reported a decrease in their income and close to 14% reported a substantial decrease in their revenues after the Ebola crisis. Sierra Leone has therefore struggled to sustain growth and this growth, mostly based on the mining sector, is not sustainable. Furthermore, the evolution of employment over the recent years shows that economic growth in Sierra Leone has resulted more from a higher productivity of labor rather than an increase of labor112 and has not been inclusive enough to generate sufficient wage and productive employment opportunities in particular for women, youth and the rural population. The rebound of the economy post-Ebola is due to revenues from the non-iron ore sectors reflecting improvements in agriculture, construction, electricity and other services113. Nevertheless, transformation is needed to diversify the

economy and create sustainable and inclusive growth.

For economic growth to contribute to sustainable development, poverty eradication and the reduction of inequality within and among countries, it needs to be inclusive and compatible with the social and environmental dimensions of sustainable development. How the benefits of economic growth and the costs of economic crisis are distributed in society is critical, and employment is one of the key mechanisms through which this distribution takes place. Gender equality in employment and

111 World Bank data 112 2017, Sierra Leone: Jobs Diagnostic. World Bank 113 AfDB, 2017 Sierra Leone Economic Outlook

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women's access to decent work are hence essential measures of inclusive growth. A regular and independent source of income not only provides women with greater voice and agency in the household but has also been shown to increase investment in the well-being of other household members, particularly children, with benefits for long-term growth. Yet, gender inequalities in the labour market remain pervasive In Sierra Leone, with women being not only less likely to participate but also more likely to be concentrated in insecure, unprotected or under-protected and poorly remunerated employment. Agriculture, including fishery and forestry, represents the backbone of Sierra Leone’s economy (61.3% of GDP in 2015)114, and the main sector of employment. In 2015, more than 60% of the active population was employed in agriculture 115 (70% female and 30% male (Census Report 2015). The agriculture sector however is essentially made up of subsistence farming and characterized by low productivity and limited value-added. Despite being the first sector of employment, agriculture production is insufficient to feed the population of Sierra Leone and to lift people out of poverty and food insecurity. Employment in this sector has decreased by 5.9 percentage points since 2003, while the service sector added 4.8 percentage points. The shift of employment from agriculture to services is projected to continue toward 2020116.. Limited access to finance for the smallholder agricultural sector and the poor provision of rural infrastructure have been obstacles to the growth of a dynamic agricultural sector and in particular may have hindered the development of a commercialized agri-food sector117.

With the resumption of mining activities after the discovery of iron ore in 2011, the mining sub-sector

share of GDP recently increased from 4.3% of GDP in 2011 to 13% in 2013, and the overall industry

sector’s contribution rise from 8.1% of GDP in 2011 to 22% GDP in 2013118. In 2015, with the collapse

of international commodity prices and the EVD epidemics, the mining sector experienced an 85%

decline119. During that period, the booming sectors did not create as many jobs as expected. Past

experience in Sierra Leone, and elsewhere, has shown that industrial mining constitutes capital and

skill- intensive activities that do not participate much in the development of the local economy. Sierra

Leone’s deposits of iron, gold, rutile, bauxite and kimberlite diamond are probably not feasibly

exploitable by anything other than capital intensive, high technology methods120. Therefore, the

mining sector’s contribution to the economy will come from the Government’s ability to use the

revenues from taxes and mining rights to the benefit of the whole country. Moreover, the high

vulnerability of the sector to volatility of international markets and its unsustainable nature, make the

diversification of the economy an absolute necessity121.

The secondary and the tertiary sector represented in 2015 approximately 35% and 5% of the GDP

respectively. Small and medium enterprises characterize the manufacturing sector in Sierra Leone and

are very much constrained by the difficulty to access financial services122, the lack of skills and a social

culture that does not favor entrepreneurship123.

Sierra Leone’s labor market is characterized by low quality, informal jobs and unskilled workforce (made of men and women and the youth). Economic diversification needs to be accompanied with investment in human capital. According to Population and Housing Survey, 3% of the labor force was

114 AfDB, 2017 Sierra Leone Economic Outlook 115 AfDB, 2015 Population and Housing Survey 116 2017, Sierra Leone: Jobs Diagnostic. World Bank 117 World Bank Enterprise Surveys 118 AfDB, 2017 Sierra Leone Economic Outlook 119 AfDB, 2017 Sierra Leone Economic Outlook 120 2013, Political Economy of Extractives Governance in Sierra Leone, World Bank 121 Id. 122 In 2016, 87% of the economically active population had no access to financial services 123 2017 Sierra Leone Economic Outlook

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unemployed in 2015. The Western Area Urban district has the highest proportion of the unemployed with 35%. There are slightly more women unemployed across all districts.

The employment situation must be analyzed in terms of the quality of jobs, i.e. looking at the proportion and distribution of productive employment, formal wage jobs and productive and stable self-employment. In 2014, most workers were employed in low productivity jobs, 90% of the working age population was self-employed, 59.2 % worked in agricultural self-employment and 31.3% in non-agricultural self-employment124. 9.5% of the workforce held a wage job and the majority of wage employment was concentrated in a few specific sectors (mining, services, construction and manufacturing), located in Freetown and other urban areas (71%), favoring older men with higher levels of education125. Only 9.5% of youth had a wage-job, 4% of young women.

The low qualification level of the active population of Sierra Leone is also part of the problem. In 2015, 64% of the employed population had no education, including 77% of unemployed women. The agriculture and the manufacturing sector employs the highest proportion of labor force with no education. Only 6% of the working age population took part in vocational training. The same proportion of youth has received vocational training, 7% of men and 4% of women126.

In 2015, the informal economy was estimated at 60% of the overall economy127 and the proportion of informal jobs estimated at 90%128. Over 35% of wage jobs and over 88 % of non-agricultural self-employment are informal. This situation makes the population employed in informal jobs particularly vulnerable to shocks. Notwithstanding, only half of formal employment provide paid leaves and medical benefit.

Enabling environment / what has been done about the problem Economic diversification and inclusive growth are at the heart of the AfP. The government strategy focuses on the agriculture, manufacturing, fisheries and tourism sectors with emphasis on value-adding activities. The EVD recovery strategy puts agriculture development back at the forefront with the following objectives:

- increase food production of staple food crops for food security - promote and increase value-addition activities for agricultural goods - increase the production and export of cash-crops and - improve access to Finance for Farmers Capacity strengthening of MAFFS

The Sierra Leone Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) Agency Act 2015 aims to create a conducive business environment for SMEs. The National Strategy for Financial Inclusion (2017-20), developed in 2016, aims at ensuring that financial services are available, accessible and affordable to all Sierra Leoneans especially SMEs.

A Social Protection Strategy covering 2012-1018 was developed with the aim to establish a social protection floor for the most vulnerable households and individuals, strengthen coordination and build social protection systems, and establish complementary activities to help the poor graduate out of poverty including linkages with youth training and employment programmes. The AfP prioritized the social protection area which was dedicated one full pillar. The extent to which this translated in actual prioritization is a real question given the persistent weakness of the Ministry of Gender, Women, Children and Social Welfare’s capacity and budget allocations. The EVD crisis revealed the

124 2014 Labor Survey 125 2017, Sierra Leone: Jobs Diagnostic. World Bank 126 2015 Population and Housing Survey 127 2017 Sierra Leone Economic Outlook 128 2017, Sierra Leone: Jobs Diagnostic. World Bank

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risks associated with the weakness of the protection system and the Government recovery strategy placed among its priorities to reprioritize budget allocations for gender/ women, vulnerable groups, social protection, youth employment, and social services.

A National Youth Policy adopted in 2013 seeks to address the challenges facing the youth ranging from youth unemployment and under-employment, access to quality education and inadequate or inappropriate preparation and training for the formal job market, low investment in Technical Vocational Educational Training (TVET) and its resultant high mismatch with labor market demands and lack of policy coherence on TVET, among others. A youth programme 2014-2018 was developed with the first of three objectives to support pro-youth private sector development through agriculture, finance and entrepreneurship, and reinvigorated TVET.

A National Employment Policy, Strategy and Implementation Plan was launched in 2016 and the minimum wage increased. The Government also embarked on employment promotion programmes to support job creation especially in the areas of Agriculture, skills training and entrepreneurship, in particular for youths in targeted areas.

The current Government has indicated that policies will be promoted to sustain employment in the agriculture, mining, and fishery industries, among others. Implementation of the Local Content Act to give preference to Sierra Leoneans in the award of contracts and employment has been revamped.

SDG 9: Build Resilient Infrastructure, Promote Inclusive and Sustainable Industrialization and Foster

Innovation

Manifestation of the problem: The lack of infrastructure is a major constraint to economic diversification and to the development of productive sectors in Sierra Leone. Whilst the roads have improved in recent years the inadequate road network affects the development of commercial agriculture and remains an impediment to industrialization. Despite its small contribution to the economy, the industrial sector already has a large impact on environment. Promoting an economic diversification that can generate productive jobs targeting for women and men and the youth while protecting the environment and managing natural resources is a key challenge for Sierra Leone. In 2017, the industrial sector, which consists of mining and quarrying, manufacturing, construction and utilities (electricity and water) only accounted 7% of GDP, a decrease from 12% in 2003. In neighboring countries such as Guinea or Burkina Faso, the sector represents 42% and 46% of GDP respectively. In 2015, the industry sector employed only 5.5% of the population.

The limited road network is one of the main constraints to industrial development in Sierra Leone. In 2013, only 8.6% of Sierra Leone’s estimated 11,300km of roads, i.e. 906km, are paved and including 20% of the core primary and secondary roads. Only 21% of the rural population resides within two kilometers of an all-weather road. During the raining season travel becomes a country-wide problem.

Overall the last few years, efforts have been made to rebuild and rehabilitate feeder roads to connect agricultural production to markets. In 2016, 3,024 kilometers of feeder roads were rehabilitated or maintained throughout the country, an improvement from 771km in 2013. Regional interconnectivity is also limited by the limited road network. The level of expenditures in the road construction and maintenance sector is much lower in Sierra Leone than in comparable neighboring countries, as well as highly dependent on ODA129.

129 2011. Sierra Leone's Infrastructure: A Continental Perspective. Africa Infrastructure Country Diagnostic. World Bank

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Multiple barriers to investment and enterprise creation also affect the development of the industrial sector. According to the 2017 World Bank report, Sierra Leone is ranked 160 among 190 economies in the ease of doing business.

According to a survey conducted by the Ministry of Trade and Industry in 2016, some of the key

barriers to SMEs growth are access to finance, with 81% of the SMEs confirming this constraint, access

to Business Development Services (52%), to markets (50%) and cost of Doing Business (36%). Cultural

values and behaviors are also additional challenges facing potential entrepreneurs.

Two important sub-sectors of Sierra Leone’s industry, mining and construction, are having detrimental impact on environment and people’s livelihood and leaving standards. Both artisanal and industrial mining have affected land resources in mineral-rich areas throughout the country130. Surface mining methods employed by most of the mining industries in most rural areas causes damage to the surface of the earth and is detrimental to humans, animals and plant lives in the short term. Mining also generates very large quantity of waste materials in the form of overburden tailings heaps, slags, sludge and mineralized deleterious wastes, which cause adverse impact on environment and communities depending on the particular mining company131. An expansive regulation has been developed over the last few years including to mitigate the impact on local communities’ livelihood and deforestation, but enforcement remains a challenge. Among the challenges facing environment protection is the connivance by local authorities and public officials, the lack of cooperation among line Ministries and the reluctance to apply environment protection laws by MDAs132.

Despite the attempts of the Environment Protection Agency to raise public awareness on the issue, illegal sand mining is increasingly damaging the shoreline, in particular in the Western area, stimulated by the growing construction business. These illegal activities lead to erosion and the destruction of people’s homes, and the disappearance of beaches together with the tourism potential of the coast. In 2004, the local Government Act devolved the responsibility to issue sand mining licenses to local councils, which do not see themselves as responsible for the protection of environment. Enabling environment /what has been done about the problem

To promote industrialization, Sierra Leone in recent years adopted several policies, measures and

strategies. These include: import substitution strategy, national export strategy, investment policy

review, local content policy, etc. The Sierra Leone National Industrial Policy, which provides a road

map for industrial development in Sierra Leone, was launched in 2010. The goal of the policy is to

create and sustain a solid industrial sector, which will be market-led, regionally and globally

competitive, environmentally friendly and capable of improving the living standards.

The aim of the National Strategy for Financial Inclusion (2017-20), developed in 2016, is to ensure that

financial services are available, accessible and affordable to all Sierra Leoneans especially MSMEs. This

130 Fifth MDGs Report 131 Some 700,000 tons of slimy, red (mainly ≤2.5mm tailings consisting mainly of alumina, silica, kaoline and iron oxide) wastes from the Sierra Leone Ore and Metal Company (SIEROMCO) process plant are disposed of into impoundment areas in valley adjacent to the plant, ending up into the Jong River. Sierra Rutile Limited (SRL), mining and processing mineral sands (including rutile, TiO2; ilmenite, FeO.TiO2 or FeTiO3; and zircon, ZrSiO4 or ZrO2SiO2), generates tailings and high

concentrates of acidic pyrites (FeS2) and marcasites (FeS2) that are pumped back into the pond and sand tailings pumped to

the back of the dredge; ending into Nitti harbour and the other bodies in this mining area. The other mining industries including, Gold Mining, Marampa Iron Ore Mining Company, and lot of diamond mining industries, also deposit their wastes into their immediate surrounding adjacent water bodies 132 2016 Agenda for Final Annual Report

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strategy reflects the components of pillar 1 (Diversified Economic Growth) of the government’s

Agenda for Prosperity (A4P).

Though SMEs provide a source of income and livelihood for a large proportion of the Sierra Leonean

male and female population, a high percentage of them being informal. Included in the Sierra Leone

National Industrial Policy is the Industry Restructuring and Rehabilitation Programme. The programme

provides support for the informal sectors to transition into a formal framework.

SDG 10: Reduce Inequality Within and Among Countries Manifestation of the problem: From 2003 to 2011, figures show a decrease in inequality, in particular due the convergence between Freetown and other urban areas and economic growth in rural areas. The main drivers of income inequality are the gaps between urban and rural poverty rates areas and between generations. Youth is particularly marginalized with high level of structural unemployment suffering from a mismatch between their skills and the job market. The poorest are always the most vulnerable in terms of access to basic services. Overall from 2003 to 2011, national inequality levels have decreased. The Gini coefficient, calculated for per-capita consumption, decreased from 0.39 in 2003 to 0.32 in 2011. The African Development Bank calculated a Gini coefficient of 35 for 2015, a decrease from 39 in 2005. The 2011 levels of inequality vary substantially, however, across districts. The highest level is in Bombali district, with a value of 0.42, and the lowest in Tonkolili, with a value of 0.21. Inequality is also relatively low in the capital Freetown, with a Gini coefficient of 0.27. Inequality has increased only in other urban areas. Whereas the Gini coefficient reduced in Freetown, there was a small growth in inequality from 0.29 to

0.31 in other urban areas. The overall decrease ininequality can largely be attributedto convergence

between Freetownand other urban areas, and by rural areas catching up with urban areas generally,

as ruralareas experienced overall higher levels of growth and these areas have a much larger share of

thetotal population133.

The main drivers of income inequality are the gaps between urban and rural poverty rates areas and between generations. Rural poverty declined from 2003 to 2011 from 79% to 66% but poverty levels in rural areas remained well above those of urban areas and poverty declined more slowly in rural areas134. Similarly, the incidence of child poverty is higher in rural versus urban areas at 85 and 61 per cent, respectively.

The youth in Sierra Leone faces a structural unemployment of 60%. In 2013, the youth (persons aged 25-35 years) made 66% of the total population, 56% of the employed135 population and 70% of the unemployed136.

Both the highest unemployment rate and the highest educational attainment are among the youth working age population. The mismatch between the job market and the youth employment is a crucial problem in Sierra Leone and is exacerbated by the rural migration of youth who turn away from agriculture perceived as non-productive sector with high hardship levels. Furthermore, skills needed for the industrial sector and entrepreneurship aren’t sufficiently available due to the inadequate tertiary education and vocational and technical programmes137 .

133 2014 World Bank Poverty profile 134 Id. 135 2014 Labour Survey 136 Sierra Leone National Youth Programme 204-2018 137 Youth Unemployment Challenges and Opportunities: the Case of Sierra Leone, International Journal of Social Science Studies

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The Human Rights Commission of Sierra Leone, in its 2016 report, raises concerns about increasing violence due to unemployment and lack of education of youth and recommend the Government to:

- collaborate with youth groups to develop programmes to address youth issues that will divert

their attention from violence, - ensure that there is equal distribution of basic services to all communities in the country to

meet the recreational needs of youths, - ensure that education and training courses in the country reflect the employment needs of

youths and strive to reduce unemployment in the country,

- accelerate the implementation of the National Youth Scheme.

It is estimated by the National Population and Housing Survey that the population leaving with disability represents 1.3% of the total population of Sierra Leone (a reduction in the population with disabilities compared to the last Census of 2004, which found 2.4 per cent of the total population). However, this figure is likely to be an under-representation due to the fact that data is collected on a narrow set of impairments138. As a matter of comparison, the prevalence of people living with disability in Liberia was estimated in 2008 at 17%. In 2015, 67% of the People leaving with disability were illiterate, 63% has no education and 16% has completed primary education139.

People leaving with disability have long been invisible both in the socio-economic data and public policies in Sierra Leone. This was the reflection of the exclusion of this category of population, which has particularly suffered from unemployment, homelessness, lacks medical facilities, inaccessibility to public buildings, educational challenge and negative perception of the public towards disability among others140. According to the A4P ‘people with these special needs face inadequate specialized medical care, lack of support for skills development and lack of opportunity for economic participation. Children with disabilities have little educational support, as there are no government schools to cater for their special needs’. The Human Rights Commission for Sierra Leone, in its 2016 report, pointed out remaining financial barriers to access tertiary education for people leaving with disability whereas Section 14 (1) of PWD Act 2011 should guarantee free access. The Commission also recommends that the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development provides adequate funds to National Commission for Persons with Disability (NCPD) for it to function effectively and address the challenges faced by PWDs and to the MSWGCA to work with the NCPD to meet the country’s reporting obligation on the implementation of the Convention of the rights of People with Disability.

As shown by the table below extracted from the Social Protection Strategy, income inequality goes together with inequality vis-à-vis social protection issues. Social outcomes of the poorest quintile are the worst, which demonstrates the highly unequal society of Sierra Leone and the need to protect the most vulnerable.

138 Natalie Cherchas, December 2014, Reducing Barriers and Increasing Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities: A Comparative Case Study of Two Post-Conflict Nations, Cambodia and Sierra Leone 139 2015 Population and Housing Census 140 Id.

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Enabling environment / what has been done about the problem Following the adoption of a Social Protection Policy in 2013 and a Social Protection Strategy in 2014, the National Assistance and Social Security (NASSIT) has been developing a Social Health Insurance Scheme but the process is still at the design stage. The highly informal nature of the labor market is one of the main challenges of developing such scheme. The taskforce in charge of proposing design options has been collecting information from other countries and nationally and an Inception Actuarial Valuation has been carried out. The basic social safety net package being implemented by NACSA has been increasing its coverage but only reaches half of the 56,000 extremely poor households targeted in the strategy. Working closely with the Sierra Leone Roads Authority, the Ministry of Agriculture, the National Youth Com- mission, Local Councils, and the MoFED, NACSA has also been providing 10,924 unemployed youth with short-term employment and condition cash transfer through the Labor Intensive Public Works (LIPW) in 2016, giving a cumulative 15,549 youths benefiting from this project between 2013 and 2016.

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3) PLANET - Sustainability and Climate

SDG 11: Make Cities and Human Settlements Inclusive, Safe, Resilient and Sustainable

Manifestation of the problem: Nationally, in 2014, 75% of the urban population of Sierra Leone lived in slums households, i.e. groups of individuals living under the same roof lacking one or more of the following conditions: access to improved water, access to improved sanitation, sufficient living area, and durability of housing141. The rapid urbanization has led to the creation of large and overpopulated informal and unplanned settlements with detrimental and partly irreversible consequences of the environment and the lives of urban dwellers. SDG 11 Target 11.7 aims to “provide universal access to safe inclusive, green and public spaces in particular for women and children older persons and persons with disabilities” However in Sierra Leone, this goal is not yet achieved and, for example, women lack of personal safety when using public transport; the frequent discrimination they suffer as workers in public spaces; their limited land and property ownership; and the disproportionately detrimental consequences of the lack of services on their health and well-being. Women in urban slums suffer particular hardships. The share of the population living in urban areas almost doubled from 21 percent in 1967 to almost 41% in 2015, with a high concentration in the capital, Freetown, which has grown to a population of about 1 million (tenfold since 1961). Between 2004 and 2015, there was a 4.2% increase of the urban population in Sierra Leone, which is much higher than the rural growth rate of 2.6% for the same period and the national population growth rate, which was estimated at 3.2% for the same period142. The rapid increase of population in urban areas was not accompanied by adequate planning and city management, which generated significant environmental and human risks and disasters related to informal settlements and proliferation of waste among other things.

The primary cities in Sierra Leone are Freetown, Bo, Kenema, Makeni and Koidu town. Freetown is

more than four times the size of the second biggest city, Bo. According to Shack/Slum Dwellers

International (SDI) Freetown is home to at least 61 informal settlements. As observed by the Special

Rapporteur on the implications for human rights of the environmentally sound management and

disposal of hazardous substances and wastes, there are a number of communities who live next to

dumping sites in Freetown, breathing polluted air, drinking, bathing in toxic water and eating food

contaminated by waste from these sites. The Special Rapporteur also pointed out the lack of data on

emissions to air, water and soil of pollutants and generally on the impact on the population health.

In Freetown, the challenges and risks related to waste management are severe. In addition to health hazard due to the fact that population lives surrounded by garbage, the proliferation of waste all over the city leads to blockages of the drainage system and flooding during heavy rainstorms. Healthcare wastes are also dumped in the numerous domestic dumping sites generating risks of infections with HIV, Hepatitis B and other diseases. Commercial and industrial wastes are privately collected and dumped to the nearest site. Liquid waste from factories is thrown out untreated in streams threatening eco-system and aquatic life. In general, effluent waste from industries is not controlled. According to the Deputy of the Sierra Leone Environment Protection Agency, nutrient overlapping in the coastal waters on the continental shelf and deposition of wastes, nutrients, sulphate, and metal ores from industrial and agricultural activities have resulted in seaweed bloom. This has a disproportionately negative impact on women and children, who are 14 times as likely as men to die during a disaster Women’s livelihoods are also impacted by the adverse effects of climate change, including through reduced crop and forest yields and acidification of the ocean, which negatively 141 World Bank Data 142 2015 Housing and Population survey

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affects the harvesting of marine life. Globally, women are heavily engaged in agriculture (SDG 2), are largely in charge of foraging (SDG 7 and 15) and fetching water (SDG 6) and play an important role in small-scale fisheries and seafood marketing (SDG 14)—all areas facing disruption. Mitigating actions are urgently needed to protect the health and livelihoods of all people adversely impacted by climate change. The Freetown Waste Management Company is facing challenges in the areas of management and implementation translating in equipment shortage, inadequate budgets, lack of authority, very weak staff capacities at all levels, lack of adequate records and information related to the sewage and waste management costs; lack of internal controls; lack of institutional and regulatory frameworks for procurement, and legislative enforcement; etc.143 A study on the health impact of the proximity of slums with Granville Brook dumping sites revealed that both nearby and far away residents suffered from related diseases (malaria, chest pains, diarrhea, cholera, irritation of the skin, nose and eyes) due to the location of the dumpsite closer to their settlements144. Due to its tropical climate and geography Sierra Leone is prone to floods. In 2016 a total of 8,760 people were affected by disasters. Most of the victims (3,380) were affected by flooding145. With high relief and steep slopes, Freetown is particularly vulnerable to flooding and landslides. The proliferation of unplanned settlements in risky areas such as deforested hillsides upstream of natural drainage channels, combined with poor waste management has made the population of Freetown highly vulnerable to disasters as demonstrated by the landslides and flooding of August 2017, which resulted in 1, 141 dead, 3000 displaced, and major damage of buildings, roads and infrastructures146. Flooding is a much more common hazard than large-scale landslides and regularly affects parts of Freetown during the rainy season. See Annex H for 2017 After Action review of mudslide / flooding. Urbanization, agricultural expansion and other human activities have caused degradation of forests, resulting in degradation of buffer zones. The lack of proper urban planning, regulation of urban land use and advocacy increases the risk of landslide and other related disasters. This is worsened by the lack of environmental and disaster risk awareness of the local communities147. Urbanization in Sierra Leone is highly and negatively affected by a fragmented governance structure and the limited capacity of local authorities to uphold the laws. The 2004 Government Act devolved the planning responsibility to the local governments who have been lacking the capacity to prepare, implement and manage urban plans. Enabling environment /what has been done about the problem The institutional framework for land use is currently being improved and planning instruments put in place. A new Land Management Policy was enacted in 2015, a Freetown Structural Plan was developed, together with a National Spatial Development Framework, the basis for the development of the National Spatial Development Plan and a National Urban Policy. The Ministry of Land, Country Planning and Environment reviewed planning laws, the Town and Country Planning Act and the Freetown Improvement Act to address issues of land use and development, including the protection and use of wetlands for urban and peri-urban agricultural production by urban farmers.

143 A Situation Analysis of Waste Management in Freetown, Journal of American Sciences, 2010 144 Foday Pinka Sankoh, Xiangbin Yan, Quangyen Tran, 2013, Environmental and Health Impact of Solid Waste Disposal in Developing Cities: A Case Study of Granville Brook Dumpsite, Freetown, Sierra Leone, Journal of Environmental Protection 145 Agenda for Prosperity Annual Report 146 World Bank, Rapid Damage and Loss Assessment of August 14th, 2017 Landslides and Floods in the Wester Area 147 UNDP, EPA, Analysis of the Causal and Trigger Factors of the August 2017 Landslide in Freetown: towards a Sustainable Landslide Risk Management in Sierra Leone

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The Solution for Open Land Administration (SOLA) was set-up within the Ministry of Land and Country Planning to support tenure security by establishing an effective cadastre system/comprehensive land information system and automation of the land management and administration workflow process at the Ministry. SDG 12: Ensure Sustainable Consumption and Production Patterns combined with SDG 15: Protect, Restore and Promote Sustainable Use of Terrestrial Ecosystems, Sustainably Manage forests, Combat Desertification, and Halt and Reverse Land Degradation and Halt Biodiversity Loss Given the similarities of the issues at stake under goals 12 and 15 in Sierra Leone, the two goals will be analyzed in the same section. Manifestation of the problem: The two most important sectors of the economy, the agricultural and extractive sectors, are the two sectors with the biggest footprint on the natural resources of Sierra Leone. Traditional slash and burn agriculture methods as well as clearing for cattle grazing, legal and illegal logging, and the collection of fuelwood continue to generate deforestation and further impact water resources availability and quality. It is estimated that more than 80% of the population relies on charcoal and firewood for their domestic energy needs and this demand is increasing. Fuelwood is also used for smoking fish and presents a major threat to the health and integrity of mangroves in coastal areas148. Mining contributes to deforestation and environmental degradation through biodiversity loss, erosion, topsoil loss, and water pollution among other. Traditional agriculture practices such as shifting cultivation, recurrent bushfires, over grazing, and shortening of fallow periods also generate land degradation and loss of biodiversity. Rapid urbanization and growing consumption generate highly concerning levels of pollution with detrimental effects on human health and environment. Total forest cover in Sierra Leone was estimated at 2,725,821 hectares in 2010, which is approximately 38 percent of the total land area, and 5% of the original forest. Between 1990 and 2010, the annual average deforestation rates were 20,000 hectares per year, representing an annual deforestation rate of -0.70 percent of the total forest cover (Food and Agriculture Organization 2010). 85% of forest and woodlands is community managed and under customary tenure. The remaining forest are state-administered. 22% of the forests are in 48 forest reserves and conservation areas, 1% is on chiefdom land but managed by the Forest Division and 23% are within a wetland and marine ecosystem protected areas149. The quality of surface water sources is affected by deforestation and pollution due to mining activities, in particular the dumping of waste into rivers. For example, mercury and cyanide used by artisanal and small-scale miners in gold extraction leave traces in water. Heavy metal toxicity is a serious concern for people’s health in gold-producing areas, particularly the northern and southern regions. Mining also alters the coastline through discharges of silt and mineral water.150

During a visit in Sierra Leone in 2017, the UN Special rapporteur on Human Rights and Toxic Waste expressed serious concern over the lack of reliable data on emissions to air, water and soil of pollutants and the need for the Government to undertake robust monitoring of water and food contamination, air pollution, labor conditions and key health indicators as well as the impact of mining activities, from artisanal to large-scale operations, and agriculture, including agrochemical use151.

148 Sierra Leone Forestry Policy, 2010 149 Fifth MDGs report 150 The State of Environment Report, EPA, 2016 151 Preliminary observation UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and Toxic Waste (http://www.srtoxics.org/2017/08/sierra-leone-end-visit-statement/)

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A National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan developed in 2003 provided the basis for the creation of a network of protected areas in representative ecosystems across the country for the conservation of approximately 80–90% of Sierra Leone’s known species diversity. A total of 15 protected areas have been officially assigned, including both terrestrial and wetland ecosystems, covering a total of 616,013.21 hectares, which equals about 8.5% of the country’s total land area152.

Data on the use of land, water resources and forestry, including degradation is lacking in Sierra Leone. This is partly due to the institutional and legal ambiguity and gaps that have prevailed so far over land administration and access, which have been major impediments to effective and sustainable management of land153. The lack of clarity regarding roles and responsibility of the various MDAs involved has prevented proper coordination between government agencies at national and local levels to resolve conflicting policies and mandates, and to regulate and plan land use and unsustainable management practices154. The adoption of a new Land Policy paving the way for a major reform of land use and administration aims at addressing this problem but implementation is at its infancy.

Enabling environment /what has been done about the problem Recent efforts have been invested in developing a coherent legal and institutional framework across the land, forestry, and extractive sectors, to address gaps and issues of conflicting mandates in support of sustainable use of natural resources. A comprehensive National Land Policy was developed and approved in 2015 with the aim to improve the existing land administration systems and land laws, particularly by recognizing and working with the differentiated land tenure categories in the Western Area and the Provinces and developing the capacities of relevant institutions. The Policy also recognizes the need for new approaches and procedures for establishing property rights in ways that would encourage investment and rising productivity (especially in agriculture) and give landholders and local communities a greater stake in Sierra Leone’s economic future, and provide transparent and accountable governance of the country’s considerable natural resources155. The Land Policy provides for several transformative measures related to land tenure including access to land property by women. It calls for the establishment of a National Lands Commission that will have structures at district, chiefdom and village levels with the hope that it will diminish the role of local government officials and traditional leaders and make the processes of land access more transparent and

democratic156. In 2012, the government, through the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Food Security, established the National Protected Areas Authority and Conservation Trust Fund through an act of parliament (the National Protected Areas Authority and Conservation Trust Fund Act 2012) to effectively manage and promote biodiversity conservation, manage wildlife, undertake research, provide for the sale of

152 Id. 153 According to the 2014 Land Policy, the main challenges of land management are:

- Inequitable access to land;

- Shortage of accessible land in the Western Area;

- “Squatting” on state and private lands in the Western Area due to rapid urbanization;

- Insecure forms and rights due to the absence of a system of registration of titles;

- Lack of proper cadastral mapping and land information;

- Unclear and diverging tenure forms under customary law;

- Overlapping jurisdictions for statutory and customary law;

- Weak land administration and management, i.e. inadequate capacity within the Ministry of Lands, Country

Planning and the Environment (MLCPE) to carry out its scope of responsibility and meet set objectives;

- Lack of proper cadastral and land-use information database for state, private and customary lands Inadequate

concession practices and protective mechanisms inserted to prevent “land-grabbing” in the commercial and land-

use sector;

- International boundary disputes. 154 Sierra Leone Forestry Policy, 2010 155 2016 annual report on Agenda for Prosperity 156 The State of Environment report 2016

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ecosystems services in the national protected areas, and provide for other related matters. The Conservation and Wildlife Management Unit of the Forestry Division was upgraded to form the National Protected Area Authority (NPAA). The following legislations were submitted to various MDAs for their Concurrences to enable them to be approved by Cabinet and then passed into Law by Parliament: The Draft Wildlife Conservation Bill 2015, the Draft Forestry Bill 2015, the Wetlands Bill 2015, the NPAA and CTF Regulations 2015157. In the extractive area, since the establishment of the Environment Protection Agency in 2008, the 2009 Mines and Minerals Act and the 2009 Mines158 and the enactment of various regulations in 2012, the legal framework in the mining sector has been reinforced to ensure that mining operations are accountable to local communities. Environmental Social and Health Impact Assessment (ESHIA), mandatory in the licensing process, have been increasingly conducted. For example, in 2016, the EPA received 42 ESHIA, against the 40 projected for that year. Community Development Agreements (CDA) with an overall aim and objective of promoting durable and equitable agreements, from the perspective of those most affected and most marginalized by the extractive activities, have also been rolled out. Mining license holders must allocate at least 1% of gross revenue from the previous year to the activities contained in the CDA. Development partners have provided support to the development of tailored agreement owned by the community has also been provided.

Furthermore, new laws, polices and institutions to strengthen protections from hazardous substances have been developed but remain in draft form. These include, for example, critical laws and policies for labor, pesticides, and industrial chemicals159. A National Action Plan to Combat Land Degradation 2014 – 2018 is under development focusing on the synergy among the three Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) on biological diversity, climate change and land degradation at the country level, and the convergence of actions among Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), local government authorities, the private sector and the civil society organizations (CSOs) to contribute to poverty reduction and environmental

sustainability.

A national sand mining policy was produced and was due for the broad stakeholder consultation / engagement and validation before submission to cabinet for approval. The policy is not a law but provides guidelines to ensure sustainable utilization of the sand resources.

Environment and land policies are part of the agenda of the “New Direction”, including the compulsory Environmental Impact Assessment and adoption of mitigating measures for damage caused by industrial and mining operations. As a demonstration of its commitment to sustainable management of forestry and environment, the new Government has suspended the export of timber log. SDG 13: Take Urgent Action to Combat Climate Change and Its Impacts Manifestation of the problem: The tropical climate and the geography of Sierra Leone, deforestation, land degradation, insufficient urban planning and weak disaster risk prevention and management as

157 Id. 158 The 2009 Mines and Minerals Act and the 2009 Mines and Minerals Regulations regulate the mining sector. The 2009 legislation is the result of a 3-year effort to reform the legal framework governing the minerals sector. The new Act: (1) addresses previously unregulated areas of health and safety, environmental protection, and community development; (2) tightens rules for administrators and mineral rights holders, including application and reporting requirements; (3) promotes investment and minerals sector development by ensuring security of tenure and preventing companies from holding land under license without demonstrable activities; and (4) rebalances fiscal benefits among companies, communities, and the government 159 Preliminary observation UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and Toxic Waste (http://www.srtoxics.org/2017/08/sierra-leone-end-visit-statement/)

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well as weak healthcare services are all factors of Sierra Leone’s high vulnerability to the impact of climate change. This vulnerability directly threatens the livelihood of rural populations as well as human lives and health and biodiversity. The Notre Dame Global Adaptation Initiative (ND-GAIN) Index ranks Sierra Leone as the 24th most vulnerable and 46th least ready to adapt to climate change, of the countries it covered for 2015.

Floods account for 85% of disaster-related mortality in the country, followed by landslides and storms. Recurrent flash flooding in urban areas and coastal flooding are common and occur every year during the rainy season160. In addition to threatening human lives and generating displacement of communities, increased intensity of rainfall events generate runoff and sediment loads in rivers, affecting water quality and availability. Flooding increases exposure to waterborne diseases such as cholera and malaria and pressure on already weak health systems.

The livelihood of Sierra Leone’s population is also threatened by the consequences of climate change. Two of Sierra Leone’s primary food sources – rice and fish – are particularly vulnerable to climate change impacts. Rice is highly sensitive to increased humidity and rainfall intensity and is vulnerable to pests that thrive in higher temperatures. Fish are vulnerable to rising temperatures, which alter nutrient dynamics and water quality in inland fish farms and the Atlantic Ocean. Two million people along coastal areas in Sierra Leone are expected to be at risk from predicted sea level rise161. Additionally, a warmer Atlantic Ocean poses a health risk, as increased sea surface temperatures contribute to toxic algae blooms and food poisoning from consumption of shellfish and reef fish (the latter reported in Freetown in 2011 and 2012). From 2011 to 2015, Sierra Leone experienced every year massive deposits of sargassum valgare on its coastal shores and marine ecosystem. The deposits of these brown seaweeds in such a large quantity caused serious environmental pollution with negative consequences on the fishing industry, especially artisanal fisheries. Through the Abidjan Convention, the Environment Protection Agency engaged with the Executive Director of UNEP and experts from the other affected countries (Sierra Leone, Ghana, Liberia, Guinea, Cote d’Ivoire, Benin, Togo, Senegal, Nigeria), to map a regional approach in the management of this environmental problem. The country is exposed to ever worsening land degradation and is equally highly vulnerable to loss of biodiversity, fresh water pollution, and coastal erosion. Over exploitation of natural resources has also created additional challenges for the country and is expected to worsen because of negative effects of climate change.162 Over the past decade Sierra Leone has increasingly faced serious impacts of climate change that have affected the environment, lives, agricultural activities, food security and livelihood of large communities. Flooding during the rainy season, off season rains and dry spells during planting times have sent growing seasons out of orbit in a country dependent largely on a rain fed agriculture.163 Flooding has also contributed to loss of agricultural livelihoods and people’s dwellings.

Climate Change (CC) poses enormous challenges to the sustainability of environments and ecosystems worldwide due to varying degrees of climate fluctuations.164 Climate Change is a major concern to Sierra Leone and a threat to human development. According to climate projections, in comparison to the period of 1961-1990, the country is expected to experience a rise in both average temperatures (of about 1.80-2.50 by 2100) and rainfall (by about 3-10%) (Ministry of Transport and Aviation, MTA,

160 Sierra Leone Country Climate Action Reports 2016 161 UNDP, Adapting to Climate Change Induced Coastal Risks in Sierra Leone 162PreventionWeb. Review of Current and Planned Adaptation Action: West Africa. http://www.preventionweb.net/publications/view/25314 163 Concords Times Effects of Climate Change in sierra Leone http://slconcordtimes.com/effects-of-climate-change-in-sierra-leone/ 164FAO (2011) Carbon Sequestration as an Integral Part of Watershed Management Strategies to Address Climate Change Issues. EASY Pol Policy brief www.fao.org/fileadmin/templates/ex_act/pdf/Policy_briefs/Carbon_watershed_management_July_2011.pdf

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2008)165. Already, the country is already experiencing serious climate influenced events that could become more frequent. These include flash floods, cyclones, and severe storms, scarcity of fresh water due to less rain, higher evapotranspiration in the dry season and frequent prolonged and widespread drought (dry spells)166. Consequently, development efforts in Sierra Leone are increasingly being hampered Lives are not safe, environmental and material assets are under threat and future investments are uncertain167. Although natural disasters have always exposed the country to risks, climate change and its variability tend to exacerbate and compound those risks, creating high levels of uncertainty. The World Bank report (2013) ranks climate change and natural disasters among the greatest threats to development168. The UN International Strategy to Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) (2008) states that disasters tend to wipe away long years of investments and reverse development gains and Sierra Leone has not been spared in recent years. The government of Sierra Leone has expressed similar sentiments in its 2018 national budget; it argues that external shocks and natural disasters (Ebola Viral Disease, mudslides and floods) have undermined the economy's ability to sustain its impressive growth169. Prevalence of natural hazards and manmade hazards such as floods, mudslides, landslides, epidemics, fires, accidents and technological hazards have made Sierra Leone more vulnerable and prone to disasters. Human activities such as deforestation, increasing population pressure, intensive agricultural land use, overgrazing, bush burning, extraction of fuel wood and other biotic resources are believed to be creating unsafe conditions for Sierra Leoneans170. When these dynamic pressures intersect with weak institutional capacity, fragile livelihoods, settlements on harm’s way, lack of social protection, and lack of education a disaster occurs171. These unsafe conditions are worsened by increases in greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide (CO2)172 and as a result, the economic and social costs of disasters are mounting173. Land degradation occurring in the Sierra Leone is compromising the capacity of ecosystems to provide, maintain, and regulate critical functions and services, including building against resilience to climate variability and natural hazards. There is however, a concrete need for reducing the current vulnerability to climate variability174 and climate change as well as keep the adaptation options open to deal with worst-case scenarios. The level of greenhouse gas emission is relatively good at 11.69 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (MtCO2e). Over half of Sierra Leone’s 2013 GHG emissions were from the land-use change and forestry sector175.

165Adaptation Partnership Clean Energy Investments in Sierra Leone: Wind Power in Egypt http://www.preventionweb.net/files/25782_sierraleone.pdf 166 Adaptation Partnership Clean Energy Investments in Sierra Leone: Wind Power in Egypt http://www.preventionweb.net/files/25782_sierraleone.pdf 167Government of Sierra Leone. Government Budget and Statement of Economic Financial Policies for the Financial Year 2018. Delivered on Friday 27th October 2017 in the Chamber of Parliament Tower Hill, Freetown. 168 World Bank Report (2013) Building Resilience to Disaster and Climate Change through Social Protection. https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/16492 169Government of Sierra Leone. Government Budget and Statement of Economic Financial Policies for the Financial Year 2018. Delivered on Friday 27th October 2017 in the Chamber of Parliament Tower Hill, Freetown. 170Concords Times Effects of Climate Change in sierra Leone http://slconcordtimes.com/effects-of-climate-change-in-sierra-leone/ 171 Wisner, B, Blaikie, P, Cannon, T, Davis, I (2004) At Risk, Natural Hazards, People’s Vulnerability and Disasters, Rutledge: London. 172 Concords Times Effects of Climate Change in sierra Leone http://slconcordtimes.com/effects-of-climate-change-in-sierra-leone/ 173 World Bank Group, Building Resilience to Disaster and Climate Change through Social Protection. https://www.gfdrr.org/sites/default/files/Building%20Resilience%20through%20Social%20Protection.pdf 174 CSAO-SWAC et al (2008) Climate and Climate Change: Atlas on Regional Integration in West Africa, Environmental Series www.fao.org/nr/clim/docs/clim_080502_en.pdf 175 Id.

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Enabling environment /what has been done about the problem Since the year 2000, Sierra Leone has published three National Strategies on Climate Change and in 2009 adopted its first Special Program on Climate Change. In 2007, Sierra Leone published its National Adaptation Programme of Action (NAPA). In addition, Sierra Leone has presented two National Communications (2007 & 2012) with their respective greenhouse gas inventories to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). In 2016 the Agency in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation ensured the ratification of the Paris Agreement of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

The Environmental Protection Agency has also developed the Climate Change Policy and national guidelines for mainstreaming climate change adaptation and mitigation into sectoral policies, plans, and programmes at national and local levels. A national climate change strategy and action plan has also been developed. All these efforts are geared towards ensuring low carbon emissions and a climate-resilient development trajectory176.

Sierra Leone has made commendable achievements towards climate change adaptation and disaster management. The government commitment is seen in having in place institutional and legal frameworks that guide disaster management activities as well as departments responsible for coordinating disaster management. However, weak institutional frameworks and poor financing among other things tend to weaken the department. The government still must mainstream Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) mechanisms in its development programs and actions to ensure resilience building for sustainable development. For example, despite progress made by the government in promoting use of clean energy, majority of the rural population is still relying on wood and fossil fuel. Hence there is need to intensify electrification programs as well as promoting adoption of other energy sources to promote safer communities and reduce pressure on the environment. It is essential for the government to maintain its stance outlined in its Agenda for Prosperity and the 2018 national budget as there is commitment by the government and its development partners to strengthen related institutions and activities enhancing resilience to climate change and disasters177. Mainstreaming climate change adaptation and DRR into all development programmes and actions, enforcing environmental protection standards and procedures, hazard mitigation and preparedness, strengthening livelihoods and livelihood diversification, strengthening land tenure, capacity development, institutional strengthening, social protection programmes at national and community level will ensure healthy and resilient communities and wellbeing of all citizens.

SDG 14: Conserve and Sustainably Use the Oceans, Seas and Marine Resources for Sustainable Development Manifestation of the problem: Sierra Leone has large coastal and marine resources with an ecosystem that remains largely intact. However, the sustainability of these resources is seriously threatened by illegal and generally weakly controlled fishing as well as pollution. Nevertheless, effective, accountable and inclusive institutions are critical for achieving gender equality and sustainable development by enabling women to access justice and other essential public services. Where governance institutions fail to play their role, corruption, inequalities and social unrest tend to increase—often with detrimental consequences for women and girls. In developed and developing

176 Fifth MDGs report 177Government of Sierra Leone. Government Budget and Statement of Economic Financial Policies for the Financial Year 2018. Delivered on Friday 27th October 2017 in the Chamber of Parliament Tower Hill, Freetown.

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countries alike, law and justice institutions—such as the police, the courts and the judiciary—continue to fail millions of women and girls while tolerance and impunity for crimes against them remain widespread. Women’s under-representation in institutions of global, regional and national governance and their lack of power to shape these institutions contribute to perpetuating gender bias. Although the gender dimensions of conflict and the pivotal role women play in building and sustaining peace is increasingly being recognized, the opportunities to promote women’s leadership, enhance their access to justice and build more peaceful and inclusive societies for all are not sufficiently harnessed

The shoreline of Sierra Leone has a length of about 560km. It includes the estuaries of three large river

networks (Scarcies, Sierra Leone and Shrebo) and four coastal islands. The continental shelf has an

estimated area of 25,000 km2 and mangroves cover some 172, 000 hectares along 825 km of

coastline. Sierra Leone has extensive and rich marine resources comprising the marine fisheries

(pelagic and dermersal) as well as crabs, shrimps, lobsters, turtles, cuttle fish, squids etc. Most

habitats are still in good condition, and the trend during the last 5 years has been stable. Biodiversity

was assessed to be still in good condition for most places. However, some species and species groups

such as shark and rays have strongly declined during the past 5 years and are in poor condition. It can

be assumed that the ecological functioning of the marine ecosystem along the coast of Sierra Leone is

still largely intact, as large stretches of the coast and marine zone are unexploited and undeveloped

with limited pressures on the marine ecosystem. However, declines in fish stocks can be attributed to

overfishing178.

The coastal and marine resources form a strong and valuable base which contributes significantly to

the national economy. Fishing accounts for around 10 % of the country’s GDP and employs around

500,000 people. The World Bank estimates that the 2017 volume of fish catch in Sierra Leone was

approximately 202,100 metric tons annually, a 45% increase since 2007, 80% of which is caught by

artisanal fisheries.

The large fish stock potential of Sierra Leone offers an affordable source of protein for the domestic population, as well as a potential source of export revenues. However, the sustainability of fish production is threatened by overfishing, use of destructive fishing gears and methods and pollution from waste, whereas almost all industrial fishing has so far been an offshore operation, as Sierra Leone’s fishing does not meet the standards required for export to the European Union. The revenue loss due to illegal fishing is estimated at US$ 30 million. Despite government’s efforts and donor funding, the number of fish caught illegally was estimated at 42,000 tons were caught illegally in 2015 alone. Illegal fishing accounts for about 30% of catches by industrial foreign fleets in Sierra Leone 179. Industrial foreign vessels have increased their presence and illegal activities in Sierra Leonean waters either on their own or by enticing small-scale fishers into illicit partnerships, such as acting as trans-shipment vessels in near shore areas. Surveillance system in Sierra Leone is still weak and compromised. Community Monitoring Assistants (CMAs) have been trained to help with surveillance around various communities but they still remain ill-equipped to carry out their duties. Fisheries regulations are old and outdated, which makes their enforcement difficult. For example, the current fisheries regulations do not address climate change, natural disasters and methods of commercial fishing. In addition, there is no transparency and traceability system in support of sustainable fishing methods. There are few protected areas and no-take zones. This weak protection of the environment makes

178 The State of Marine Environment Report, EPA, 2015 179 War, fish, and foreign fleets: The marine fisheries catches of Sierra Leone 1950–2015”, Berkeley University, 2017

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Sierra Leone marine resources highly vulnerable to overfishing, destructive and illegal fishing. Fishing practices using beach seine, poison, inadequate net sizes lead to habitat destruction and to a decline in productivity, which subsequently affects the livelihoods of fishing communities. The use of monofilament nets, which catch 2-4 as much as multifilament nets, is unselective and picks up targeted species, juvenile fish and other marine life180. Pollution is also affecting marine resources. An increased turbidity is observed in the vicinity of Freetown. This is related to pollution, eutrophication and increased sediment and nutrient loads. The poor management of domestic waste including sewage is causing serious pollution problems in the ocean of the Sierra Leone’s coast with consequences on the biodiversity.

Enabling environment /what has been done about the problem A number of laws have been enacted to guide the management of the marine and coastal environment. These include the Fisheries Management and Development Act (1994) and its related regulations (1995). The Fisheries Management and Development Act 1994 makes provision for the management, planning and development of the fisheries and fishing industries of Sierra Leone. The 1995 Fisheries Regulations provide statutory guidance. The Fisheries Policy was developed in 2003 and revised in the form of the 2010 Fisheries Policy.

Co-management principles ensure partnership and collaboration with stakeholder institutions and international partners in governance, e.g., the establishment of marine protected areas (MPAs). MPAs are marine areas designated by law where fishing and other activities are restricted or banned to limit fishing access to certain areas but enhance profit for communities. The MPAs will consequently graduate into Territorial User Rights in Fisheries to create wealth in fishing communities. These MPAs are managed by Community Management Associations consisting of traditional rulers, civil society including fishermen union, local councils, Government and NGOs, with support from Fisheries Officers deployed by the Ministry to outstations181.

To tackle illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, the government is working on establishing a robust fishery monitoring and surveillance system and regular fisheries patrols were conducted. All fisheries observers were provided with training on observer duties. In addition to the inshore patrol boat donated by the Isle of Man Government, the Ministry completed procurement of a fast sea patrol vessel that could patrol the entire Exclusive Economic Zone of Sierra Leone. The Ministry of Finance and Marine Resources (MFMR), in collaboration with the Sierra Leone Navy, embarked on community surveillance at forward operational bases in six Coastal Districts: Moyamba, Portloko, Kambia, Western Area, Bonthe and Pujehun District. Surveillance patrols were also conducted at the fisheries outstations forward operation basis by the Navy and MFMR within the Joint Monitoring Committee182 framework using four coastal patrol boats. In-terms of prosecuting infractions, a contract was signed with a Legal Adviser to the MFMR who will assist MFMR with legal proceedings on IUU and other fisheries enforcement related matters. A coastal zone management plan is being developed under the leadership of SLEPA.

180 Policy Brief for the review and enactment of the Sierra Leone Fisheries Management and Development Act of 1994 and Fisheries Bill of 2010, Green Scenery, 2018 181 Agenda for Prosperity Annual report, 2016 182 The JMC comprises all major maritime stakeholders, including the MFMR, the Maritime Wing of the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces, the Maritime Police, the Sierra Leone Maritime Administration, the National Ports Authority, and Office of National Security (ONS). The JMC undertakes fisheries protection and maritime security surveillance operations

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4) PEACE - Justice, Inclusivity, and Safety

SDG 16: Promote Peaceful and Inclusive Societies for Sustainable Development, Provide Access to

Justice for All and Build Effective, Accountable and Inclusive Institutions at all Levels

Manifestation of the problem: Despite Sierra Leone’s progress with regards to security, justice and the development of its institutions, and measures taken by the Government of Sierra Leone including the Development of the National Action Plan on UNSCR1325 to address violence, abuse and exploitation issues within Sierra Leone’ society, incidence levels remain high and prevention, support and justice systems weak. Trust in rule of law institutions and more generally the civil service is low and the relation between the state and society weak. In 2013, 27% of women and 23% of men aged 15-49 experienced physical violence in the 12 months preceding the survey; 5% women and 3% men aged 15-49 had experienced sexual violence in the past 12 months; and 50% of women aged 15-49 and married had experienced sexual or physical or emotional violence from their partners183.

Despite the lack of comprehensive data on children suffering from ill-treatment, abuse and neglect, domestic violence and sexual abuse, numbers of civil society and human rights organization report a high level of children abuse in the country. The report on the Convention on the Rights of the Child completed in 2014 highlights the high incidence of sexual violence, including rape and defilement in all settings, including in the family and in schools. Family Support Units have been one of the main instruments to tackle violence. Efforts to train personnel, to set up a helpline and extraordinary court sittings known as “Saturday courts” have been undertaken. Yet, the last report on the Constitutional Review Committee expresses deep concerns about the limited access to services for abused children in particular the lack of medical treatment, free examination and compensation for child victims of sexual violence, as guaranteed by the Sexual Offences Act and the National Referral Protocol. There is little trust in the population for Family Support Units, which has limited capacity at village level. Early abuse detection and prevention systems are weak and the rate of reporting of sexual abuse and exploitation remain low, partly due to the reluctance of families and the general public to report such cases and the practice of parents accepting payment instead of reporting cases and the low rate of convictions for reported incidents of rape and defilement. In March 2016, President Ernest Bai Koroma declined the opportunity to sign a bill which legalized abortion, despite the fact that it had been adopted by Parliament on two occasions. Abortion remains therefore criminalized, which leads to clandestine abortions that endanger lives and health of women and girls. If the Child Rights 2007 prohibits “any cultural practice which dehumanizes or is injurious to the physical and mental welfare of a child”, there is no specific criminalization of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) despite the extremely high prevalence of this harmful practice in the Sierra Leone.

An estimated 37% of children aged 5-14 years are involved in child labor with more than a quarter of them involved in hazardous child labor. It is believed that the number of street children has increased beyond the 49,000 identified in the 2012 survey conducted by the NGO Street Child.

Although statistics showed that 77% of children under the age of five were registered only 34% of these children had birth certificates. Lack of birth certificate continues to pose serious challenges in proving the ages of children within the context of increasing child vulnerabilities. There have been instances where the police have allegedly assigned wrong ages to children resulting in their ages

183 2013 DHS

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exceeding the minimum age of criminal responsibility (which is 14 according to the Child Rights Act (CRA) or having young adults being placed in children’s remand home184.

High levels of discriminations remain not only in the Sierra Leone’ society but also within the legal and policy framework. In March 2015 the Government declared a ban on pregnant girls in school as a policy, thereby cementing a pre-existing discriminatory practice. This policy constitutes a worrying retrogression in the protection of girls’ rights. Stereotypes and prejudices against lesbian, gay, bisexual

and transgender (LGBT) persons are widespread, this constitutes a very high concern of the committee on CEDAW.

Criminal violence is statistically on the decrease, supported by a greater control of arm trafficking. Yet, people’s perception of insecurity is growing, partly due to the lack of trust in police, perceived as politicized and corrupted because of perceived insufficient salaries.185 Trust in security and justice institutions further eroded during the EVD crisis as the capacity of state institutions to investigate and prosecute cases decreased, rural areas increasingly called upon traditional structures and local solutions186.

Human trafficking appears to be an increasing problem in Sierra Leone. According to the Sixth CEDAW

report states that Sierra Leone remains a source, transit and destination country for women and

children trafficked for purposes of sexual exploitation and forced labor. The incidence of reported

internal trafficking of women and girls from rural areas is high, while the prosecution and conviction

rates under the Anti-Human Trafficking Act (2005) are low.

Money laundering and drug trafficking were on the increase in 2010 (Transparency International) and

remain high threats to Sierra Leone, in particular to its youth. Transnational organised crime is being

addressed through regional cooperation and more specifically Effective partnership through ECOWAS

and the Mano River Union, joint border security meetings and patrols. Since the departure of the UN

Mission to Sierra Leone public data is that domain is increasingly sparse.

The number of women MPs went from 18 in 2002, to 16 in 2007 to 15 in 2012 and 15 in 2018. Discriminatory barriers for women to compete in local politics are high. While political parties have agreed to an informal quota system to increase women candidate numbers there is little evidence that this is followed and there are no sanctions for non-compliance. In localities such Koinadugu and Kailahun, specific efforts have been made to increase female political participation and yield positive results. The low level of results in the implementation of laws and policies aiming at supporting the most vulnerable such as women and girls has a lot to do with the social norms and standards that rule power structures in the Sierra Leonean society, in particular at rural community levels. Secret societies and paramount chiefs’ authorities often overrule formal laws and regulations in line with traditional beliefs and the stereotypes about roles and responsibilities entrenched in rural society. The dual local governance system based on formal local governments and the chieftaincies often creates disincentives to inclusive local politics and delivery of the public good. In many parts of the country, women’s candidacy for chieftaincy is prohibited 187 / 188.

Corruption remains a widespread problem of Sierra Leone’ society and institutions. The country’s corruption index from Transparency International was 30 in 2016, a marginal improvement from the 29 score in 2015. The low salaries of civil servants, police and justice officers, the rent seeking culture and poverty in general are among the main causes of persisting high levels of corruption. Some progress has been made in the fight against corruption, with increasing numbers of corruption cases brought to closure and numbers of convictions, until 2015, when both number of convictions

184 UNICEF 185 Sierra Leone 2015 Fragility Assessment 186 UN Peacebuilding Assessment Mission, 2017 187 Political Economy Analysis of Democratic Governance, Scoping Study for DFID Sierra lone, 2014 188 World Bank Group, June 2015, When Elites Meet, Decentralization, Power-Sharing, and Public Goods Provision in Post-Conflict Sierra Leone

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dropped, which prevented investigators to access clients leading to a reduction in the number of cases tried in court. The actions of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) are hampered by the delays in the prosecution of cases in court. In response, ACC is working with the Judiciary and Law Officers Department to establish a special division of the High Court for anti-corruption cases. Despite some progress, weak implementation capacities and lack of genuine political remain a key challenge to the efforts provided by the state to consistently control and eliminate corruption189.

The establishment of the rule of law in Sierra Leone is still facing massive challenges. Efforts have been invested in the training of police in the human rights and torture is prohibited in the Constitution but is neither explicitly criminalized nor defined by any specific legislation in Sierra Leone. Continuous reports of torture and ill-treatment of detainees by law enforcement personnel are made and no concrete measures taken to thoroughly investigate and prosecute the alleged cases190. Arbitrary detention, lengthy pre-trial detention (including detention during trial) and the unpredictable and, at times, overly restrictive exercise of power over the granting of bail continue to be observed throughout the country191.

In August 2016, two persons were shot and killed during an encounter with the Sierra Leone Police (SLP) in Kabala Town, in the Northern Region of Sierra Leone Youths of the town were protesting against what they thought were plans by the government to move a proposed Youth Village from Koinadugu District to Tonkolili District. The incident is being investigated by the SLP and the Independent Police Complaints Board (IPCB). Lives have been lost in the past under similar circumstances in 2007, 2012 and 2014 in Kono, 2012 in Bumbuna, 2013 and 2015 in Freetown where the SLP have been alleged to be responsible192.

Freedom of expression is regularly infringed through the use of criminal libel laws and the 1967 Public Order Act to reduce the space of journalists, political opponents and civil society, increasingly subjected to harassment and intimidation especially by the SLP, arbitrary arrests, prolonged and unlawful detention as well as excessive use of force. In the year of 2017 alone, a human right activist and three journalists were arrested for publicly criticizing institutions of the country. In March 2017, security forces killed a teenage boy and seriously injured two students when they opened fire on a Njala University student protest in Bo, southern region.

Progress has been made in the area of access to Justice. This includes approval of the Prisons Act, Local Courts Act and Legal Aid Act, progress towards approval of the Criminal Code, the establishment of an Independent Police Complaints Board and initiatives by the Ministry of Justice to improve the functionality and efficacy of the justice system to rebuild trust. The Government has allocated additional funding to the Justice System with additional staff hired, including outside Freetown. The launching of the National Legal Aid Board provides an opportunity to increase access to justice across the country. However, persisting inefficiencies in the justice system lead to overcrowding in the prison system, long delays and backlogs. Judicial independence needs strengthening. The justice system is still largely perceived as partial, corrupted and subject to political interference, which impacts the credibility and confidence of the justice system, as well as limited access to justice outside of Freetown due to weak presence in the regions193. In addition, the very limited access to representation (legal aid), the low prosecution capacity, the limited support to vulnerable

victimsremain serious challenges facing the access to justice. Enabling environment / what has been done about the problem The 2007 CRA Act, the National Alternative Care Policy, the Child Welfare Policy, the 2012 Sexual Offence Act and the Legal Aid Act still remain strong legal and policy platforms for the protection of

189 Sierra Leone National Anti-Corruption Strategy 2014-2018 190 CAT report 191 Report on the Covenant of Civil and Political Rights for Sierra Leone 192 Sierra Leone Human Rights Commission State of Human Rights Report 2016 193 Peacebuilding Commission Assessment Mission report, 2016

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vulnerable children in Sierra Leone. The country has also developed a number of strategies such as the National Strategy for Teenage Pregnancy Reduction (2013 to 2015) and the National Child Justice Strategy (2014 to 2018) ; the Parliamentary National Action Plan monitoring implementation of the Sexual Offences Act which further strengthen the protection framework. Notwithstanding the good policy framework, the country still faces challenges in effective implementation through targeted actions protecting the most vulnerable194.

A National Anti-Corruption Strategy covering 2014-2018 was developed with the following long-term goals:

- Strengthen the accountability regimes within the overall governance structure; - Deepen the recovery of Government resources; - Broaden the focus on the revenue generation sectors, such as NRA, mining and fisheries - Address wastages in government especially in local council operations; - Invest in staff welfare and management in order to attract and retain more professionals,

especially in the areas of investigation and prosecution - Further decentralize through recruitment and expansion of ACC offices to other districts

beyond the regions. - Take advantage of sector-specific transparency initiatives, for example EITI in mineral, oil and

gas, the proposals for development of transparent land markets and land use planning guidelines, and the requirements for public disclosure and consultation for environmental impact assessments, to implement improved accountability and transparency across sectors.

Other advances include:

- The Local Court Act (2011) made access to informal justice more timely and affordable. - Efforts have been made to decentralize formal system with circuit court sittings and increased

accessibility to paralegals. - The establishment of the Justice Sector Coordination Office built synergy between security

and justice sectors. - Alternative dispute mechanisms available and accepted by both formal and customary

systems, helping to build collaboration and cooperation between both systems of justice 195 The A4P provides for the acceleration of the public service reform and the decentralization process initiated after the end of the conflict. Under the Civil Service Reform Framework, the Government of Sierra Leone has focused on reducing staff at lower levels while strengthening mid-level professional, technical and scientific cadres, reforming the pay system and improving the efficiency, effectiveness, professionalism, and accountability of the civil service with a view to promoting better and more accountable delivery of public goods and services. Through a flagship Public Sector Reform Program (Improving Productivity through Management and Pay Reforms), significant progress has been made in the areas of competitive pay, recruitment and staffing and performance management and accountability and led to the adoption of a Performance Management Policy for Civil Servants196.

The Government also committed to deepen and strengthen the decentralization process that started in 2004 and to achieve result-oriented decentralization, where the devolution of authority and financial resources should be linked with results. To this end, the Agenda for Prosperity had the following priorities:

- Fiscal and financial decentralization - Effective management and implementation of decentralization policy; - Citizen participation, transparency and accountability; - Efficiency and effectiveness of local governments in local economic development, poverty

reduction and service delivery

194 UNICEF 195 2016 Sierra Leone Fragility Assessment 196 Agenda for Prosperity 2016 Annual Report

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- Monitoring, evaluation and management information systems.

The devolution has been ongoing but the process was quite slow. As of 2014, 56 out of the 80 functional responsibilities that were scheduled to be devolved by the year 2008 had been devolved to the Local Councils197. As of 2016, only primary and secondary health (including procuring drugs for Peripheral Health Units and District Hospitals); primary and junior-secondary education (including paying school fee subsidies, distributing text books and teaching and learning materials); agriculture extension services; rural water supply; and solid waste management had been transferred to the Councils198.

Financial resources allocated to local governments from the central government are insufficient and inconsistent. Local councils face also significant capacity limitation for raising and managing resources. The Decentralization Secretariat and the Decentralization Commission made efforts in strengthening capacity of local councils to mobilize revenue but staff retention remains a challenge. The Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development is developing a local Economic Development Policy that is awaiting validation. This policy will encourage district councils to enter into Public Private Partnerships to deliver social services to communities199.

Accountability to the citizens at the decentralized level is almost non-existent, which is very much correlated with the challenge of resource mobilization and incomplete devolution of power at local level. Links between the district and local councils and community level through Ward Development Committees, which in theory are accountable to the communities for the delivery of public services, are very weak200. Furthermore, the Local Councils’ ability to govern for the delivery of the public good is largely hampered by the political economy and lack of clarity of relations between Local Councils, Ward Development Committees, and traditional authorities, and weak lines of communication from citizens to decision-makers201. The draft review report produced by the Constitutional Review Committee addresses this issue through a proposed new chapter on local Government and Decentralization. The new Government has indicated that anti-corruption measures will be strengthen in order to ensures the safety and welfare of the people and the ability of the government to protect the sovereignty of the nation. Government’s accountability will be also increased by establishing a system for planning, monitoring, and reporting on Development Results, referred to as Results-Based Management (RBM). Indications for strengthening the Judiciary have been included in the ‘New Direction’ and a road map is under development.

197 Decentralization, Accountability and Local Services in Sierra Leone, Situation Analysis, key Challenges and Opportunities for Reform, World Bank, 2014 198 Agenda for Prosperity Annual Report, 2016 199 Agenda for Prosperity Annual Report, 2016 200200 Decentralization, Accountability and Local Services in Sierra Leone, Situation Analysis, key Challenges and Opportunities for Reform, World Bank, 2014 201 Id.

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5) PARTNERSHIP – Means of implementation

SDG 17: Strengthen the Means of Implementation and Revitalize the Global Partnership for Sustainable

Development

Manifestation of the problem: Revenue mobilization and sound public financial management are essential drivers of change with the power to instill confidence in citizens to pay taxes, in donors to contribute to aid and in business to develop. They were key instruments for the Government of Sierra Leone in achieving its ambitions for poverty reduction; delivering its Agenda for Prosperity; increasing financial independence; and achieving middle income status. Total revenues have increased significantly since the creation of the National Revenue Authority in 2002. The revenue to GDP ratio has changed much less, although 2010-2013 did see slightly higher ratios that the immediately preceding years. In 2014, due to the double shock that affected the economy, tax revenues represented only 8.5% of GDP, roughly the same ration as ten years earlier, which is a weak performance compared to other West African economies (the revenue to GDP ratios in Cote d’Ivoire, Senegal and Liberia are approximately 16%, 20% and 26% respectively) and Sub-Saharan Africa as a whole, where the revenue to GDP ratio averages around 22%. Income taxes (both personal and corporate) provide for 42% of Sierra Leone’s revenues, GST 20%, revenues came from non-GST customs and excise a further 20% and extractives and non-tax revenues account for most of the remainder202. In the area of public financial management, much attention has been given to reforming the legal and regulatory framework, and good progress has been made. The most recent legal piece being the Public Financial Management (PFM) Act established in 2016. The establishment of budgeting, accountability and procurement for both central and local government is considered one of the main achievements of PFM reform since the end of the civil war. Key other achievements include strengthening internal capacity; establishment of new entities and hiring qualified staff for key positions; rolling out a new developed Integrated Financial Management Information System (IFMIS); establishing internal audits; strengthening the medium-term expenditure framework (MTEF) (despite remaining key challenges); integrating regular reporting systems (through the establishment of in-year reporting and regular public expenditure tracking surveys (PETS); and improving the accountant-general’s function and output203. (The 2018 PEFA report not available at the time of the CCA preparation, will provide an update of Sierra Leone’s results in the area of public financial management.)

Despite this progress, in 2015, only 47% of the total Overseas Development Assistance (ODA) relied on public finance management systems of the government. In 2015 only 35% government’s procurement systems were used for ODA management. Some major partners channel their funds through INGOs and CSOs and most new or non-traditional development partners do not use country systems for management of official development finance204. In 2015, a very small proportion of aid was reported on budget (subject to parliament’ scrutiny). This was due to the use of funds previously earmarked for development for the response to the Ebola crisis. External debt stabilized around 20% of GDP for 2014-16 but the decline of domestic revenues, the fragility of the fiscal situation increases Sierra Leone’s vulnerability to shocks. Mobilization of

202 Adam Smith International, Improving Revenue Collection in Sierra Leone, project inception report, 2015 203 ODI, Public financial management reforms in fragile states, The case of Sierra Leone October 2012 204 2016 Country Monitoring Profile, Global Partnership for Effective Development Cooperation

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resources is therefore a crucial area of priority for Sierra Leone and its financial partners in the next few years while continuing investing in key public infrastructure.

Availability, access and monitoring of data remains a challenge for policy making in Sierra Leone. The Ebola crisis reasserted the existence of critical gaps in that area and the paramount need to be able to rely on data in particular to appropriately respond to shocks. The lack of disaggregated data particularly for critical indicators at the chiefdoms levels limits equity-focused planning and budgeting, sometimes preventing from reaching the most vulnerable populations with services and development aid. Several sector-based systems have been put in place but the national M&E system remains still weak with limited capacity at the national level to monitor and coordinate activities at the district level. For example, in the health systems, poor data quality is one of the main weaknesses and affects both the administrative data from HMIS and survey sources. As a result, there is for example no data generated to understand the evolution of maternal mortality

and the main causes of maternal deaths205. Sierra Leone’s Right to Access Information Commission (RAIC), with support from the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development and Statistics Sierra Leone, as well as the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data, conducted a national workshop on Data Roadmaps for Sustainable Development in June 2016. This fostered a dialogue among government representatives, business and civil society leaders, and national and international experts convened in Freetown o the following issues: multi-stakeholder alignment, collaboration, and coordination; data for impact and capacity building; fostering a vibrant data ecosystem; improving data collection; and, increasing funding to implement a Data Roadmap for Sustainable Development. Enabling environment / what has been done about the problem Sierra Leone receives important aid flows from the bilateral and multilateral donor community. The Government’s Aid Policy recognises that aid effectiveness and sound monitoring of progress provides an environment that will maximise our collective positive impact on development and accelerate poverty alleviation. The Government supports the Busan Partnership for Effective Development Cooperation, as it also did the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness, the Accra Agenda for Action and the OECD DAC Principles for Good Engagement in Fragile States. In addition, Sierra Leone is committed to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDGs call for action by all countries, poor, rich and middle-income to promote prosperity while protecting the planet. They recognize that ending poverty must go hand-in-hand with strategies that build economic growth and addresses a range of social needs including education, health, social protection, and job opportunities, while tackling climate change and environmental protection. The Development Partnership Committee (DEPAC), established in the Aid policy, serves as a high-level body for mutual accountability, providing a forum for frank and continuous dialogue between the Government and the Development Partners, usually on a quarterly basis. The DEPAC comprises of all MDAs at ministerial level and all Development Partners. CSOs and other stakeholders are invited based on the agenda under discussion. The agenda of the DEPAC is developed through discussions between its Co-Chairs (Minister of MoFED, Country Manager WB and UN Resident Coordinator) based upon pertinent issues emerging from the Poverty Reduction Strategy / national agenda which is currently the Agenda for Prosperity. Sector / Thematic Working Groups (S/TWGs) comprise of representatives from various institutions that implement programmes within each sector as well as development partners that provide support

205 Monitoring and Evaluation in Sierra Leone’s Health sector, HEART, 2016

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for these programmes, with the chair of each S/TWG resting with the Government. NGOs are co-opted into thee working groups as appropriate. S/TWG dialogue allows for discussions on sector strategies to improve the coherence of the policies and issues in the sector. S/TWGs are set up based on the priority areas of the national agenda, with the view of feeding information up to the DEPAC and / or down to the District Working Group.

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CCA PART II: Game Changing Priorities

“The challenges and commitments contained in these major conferences and summits are interrelated and call for integrated solutions. To address them effectively, a new approach is needed. Sustainable development recognizes that eradicating poverty in all its forms and dimensions, combatting inequality within and among countries, preserving the planet, creating sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth and fostering social inclusion are linked to each other and are interdependent.”

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (UN 2015)

This chapter is the result of the second part of the CCA process. It identifies “game changing priorities”; those high priority national areas for which integrated solutions will accelerate sustainable developmental change in Sierra Leone. A pragmatic and novel approach was developed by the CCA Core Team in order to respond to the complex and interconnected nature of sustainable development, the human rights dimension of development challenges as well as Sierra Leone’s history of fragility and its future and ambitious aspirations. This approach was used of an in-country causal analysis workshop using the SDG-based Data Review, i.e. CCA part I above, alongside a Rights-based Assessment of the Country Situation and the application of ‘systems thinking’ (Please see Annex C for a schematic of the CCA workshop process).

During a two-day workshop, representatives and programme staff of UN agencies, members of civil society, and partners from the Government of Sierra Leone (Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and Ministry of Finance and Economic Development), formed multi-partner teams to further analyze the situation of Sierra Leone in each SDG area.

During the first phase of the causal analysis, using the data contained in the Desk Review (the manifestations of the problem and enabling environment to date) participants jointly analyzed each SDG-based set of challenges by formulating/verbalizing the chains of causes and effects (immediate, underlying and root causes) in relation to the current country situation. This exercise revealed many of root causes, which the workshop participants further prioritized using gender and conflict lenses. Common root causes of multiple SDGs, “the multipliers”, that also emerged when wearing gender and / or conflict lenses, were then identified. Investment in solving those root causes should have the maximum impact. The second phase of the causal analysis consisted in further unpacking the above multiplier root causes and, using a human rights-based approach, understanding the roles, responsibilities and relationships of duty bearers and rights holders, their capacity to claim rights and fulfil obligations, as well as the enabling environment in which they live/operate/behave. This exercise led to the identification of six “game-changing” priority areas, each with an equally high potential for transformative impact. The emergent six game changers are explained below:

Game Changing Priority: Sustainable Agriculture and Land Reform

Through a multi-sector approach, prioritizing actions that support adequate and efficient public and private investment in agriculture has a high potential for transformation and acceleration, impacting on multiple development challenges, including nutrition, health and education outcomes, productive and inclusive growth, environmental protection and the prevention of man-made disasters. Additionally, success in this area will add to a more peaceful society. Whilst developing solutions to provide farmers, in particular women and young men, with the knowledge, skills and the financial services they need to improve their productivity is critical, addressing the disincentives and bottlenecks generated by a dysfunctional land tenure system is a pre-condition to reforming Sierra Leone’s traditional agriculture, characterized until today by low productivity and high detrimental impact on the environment.

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Transforming the current agriculture sector, from subsistence and semi-subsistence to commercial farming requires sustainable and sequential pathways to developing markets and value chains for food and cash crops, fisheries and livestock productions, which involve among other things incentives for private sector engagement, and investment in infrastructure development. Given the information asymmetry characterizing the developmental stage of a country like Sierra Leone, the risk of suboptimal decisions by individuals regarding food consumption will need to be addressed. Behavior change programmes and incentivizing policies supporting both demand and supply sides are instrumental to the success and sustainability of agricultural reform from the point of view of responding to the domestic needs. For instance, public health measures aiming at changing people’s feeding habits will need to be invested in order to ensure the success of the agricultural reform.

Reforming traditional agriculture also necessitates sensitive land management policies. Enforcement mechanisms ensuring the equitable and sustainable use of land are critical to allow the development of a productive commercial agriculture meeting the nutrition needs of the population, generating decent employment for all (including women and the youth), while providing opportunities for well-targeted and environment friendly larger-scale cash-crop production.

Conversely, the success of such reform depends on the coordination and enforcement of adequate policies ensuring that commercialization does not generate draw-backs on the population’s well-being and the environment, for example through the use of inputs, such as harmful quantity of fertilizers or pesticides, or value chain support products such as plastic bags containers with detrimental impact on health, soil fertility and more generally the environment.

Increasing the extension services’ ability to support small farmers, i.e. their capacity to finance and implement agricultural programmes is critical. In parallel, the role played by local authorities, both formal and informal, in the enforcement of the law and the protection of farmers rights needs to be clarified and supported.

Ensuring decent employment of the rural populations through productive agriculture is not only key to reducing rural poverty and respond the population feeding needs but also to address impact of the population pressure generated by migrations from rural to urban, in particular the urbanization challenges related to housing, access to water and sanitation. Adequate and timely measures to incentivize and train the rural and urban youth in farming needs to accompany efforts to reform the agricultural sector.

Game Changing Priority: Integrity, Law Enforcement and Social Contract

In recent years, Sierra Leone has made much progress in developing its legal and policy framework. However, weak government institutions, in particular at local level, inefficient/wasteful management of public resources, institutional corruption and patronage, which have hampered the enforcement of laws and regulations, continue to prevent Sierra Leone from progressing in nearly all areas of sustainable development and to threaten the country’s peace and environment. This situation exacerbates the challenges of deforestation, illegal logging, unsustainable exploitation and management of land, water and the ocean (including for mining and fishing activities), as well as trafficking, and the failure of the State to ensure the equitable redistribution of resources including through the provision of the public goods. Addressing governance, law enforcement and decentralization challenges is critical if progress is to be made in the provision of basic services to both rural and urban populations, the establishment of the right incentives for the expansion of the private sector and industrialization, and the use of natural resources in a way that benefit the country without affecting the environment.

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The highest priority to accelerate Sierra Leone’s progress towards sustainable development is to strengthen efforts and mechanisms to consistently control and eliminate corruption. The demonstration of political integrity at the leadership level is a pre-condition for further tackling of corruption by Sierra Leone’s national anti-corruption agencies, such as the Anti-Corruption Commission, Financial Intelligence Unit Police and the Attorney General & Minister of Justice.

Additionally, these agencies need to be capacitated and empowered to deliver on their mandate and implement the Anti-Corruption Strategy in an independent and transparent way and most specifically to tackle grand scale corruption, i.e the subversion of the system by senior officials usually in collusion with private sector players. In parallel, nation-wide communication against greedy behaviors, measures to address passive judiciary and enforce justice independence, actions to strengthen regular monitoring, control and audit of Government’s procurement systems, and engagement with private sector in an anti-corruption compact should be prioritized.

Equally urgent are the deployment of rapid actions aiming at enforcing the law, increasing transparency and reinforcing the state’s capacity to investigate and control in all domains pertaining to the exploitation of natural resources. This infers among other things robust surveillance, systematic control and prosecution and sanctions of fishing vessels at sea, custom control at both land and port borders against trafficking of natural resources such as timber and minerals, as well as regulations, control and sanctions of illegal sand mining activities, and control and sanctions of industrial waste dumping in rivers and natural areas. Conversely, increased efforts to develop the capacity to collect, analyze and disseminate, in a transparent manner, ocean and land use and administration data, are necessary.

Strengthening the ability of the local institutions to play their role as part of the social contract that links the people of Sierra Leone with the State is also a key priority that depends on the acceleration of the decentralization process started in 2004. A phased approach must be developed to support financial and fiscal decentralization, devolution of functions, and capacity development. While local government needs the financial and human capacity to operate, a system of continuous legal and technical and communication capacity development, including timely collection of disaggregated micro data, is also critical throughout the sectors. Supporting local government’s ability to convey its mandate, objectives and results to the communities is key for building trust and mutual accountability is also critical. The low level of trust in local institutions and the limited access to information by the members of the local communities needs to be addressed in order to enable communities to engage in the definition of priorities at local level, including for ensuring the use of revenues from natural resources for developing local services and infrastructures. Public awareness of the Community Development Agreements for example, is critical for communities’ involvement in the negotiations of agreements which benefit the entire community. Furthermore, while performing information management systems are being developed within the central government, including for land management, ensuring the use of this information at local level is an important priority to empower and enable local institutions to enforce laws and regulations.

Last, but not least, addressing the ambiguity, disincentives and coordination challenges created by the dual governance system, in particular in the area of land management, is of overriding importance to make progress in the above areas. An institutional reform needs to be prioritized in order to clarify and streamline the roles and responsibilities of the chieftaincy and the local governments to ensure complementarity towards the same objectives.

Another critical priority in support of the social contract between the State and the citizens pertains to the ability of civil society to play its role. The capacity of civil society and community-based organizations to reach out to the communities and to hold central and local government accountable in all parts of the country must be supported.

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Game Changing priority: Society Emancipation, Gender Equality and Social Progress

The domination of local norms, customs and standards in the functioning of society, and their manipulation by power structures and institutions, perpetuate issues such as gender stereotypes, discrimination of women and culture of violence, stigmatization (including of HIV-positive) as well as tribal allegiance and injustice. These challenges need to be prioritized as they affect the ability of rights-holders to claim their rights and impede nearly all development progress in Sierra Leone and are a particular threat to peace and impediment to gender equality and women’s and girls’ empowerment.

There is an urgent necessity to address the counter-productive norms, behaviors and standards, which maintain stereotyped perceptions and decisions in place, thereby forming a powerful resistance to societal change. Turning this major constraint into a driver of change is of absolute necessity to allow for accelerated change in nearly all social and economic development areas. The societal change required cannot be addressed through quick actions but rather necessitate to engage in a phased long-term strategic vision and strategy targeting both demand and supply sides, supported by strong political will at the highest levels of the executive and the legislative.

Gender stereotypes related to the patriarchal nature of society, stigmatization of the most vulnerable (including people living with HIV, people living with disabilities, and Ebola survivors) greatly affect the least educated, in particular women and girls, in their capacity to access to justice, health and protection services, education and land, to name a few. Targeting large-scale country-wide behavior change and awareness raising campaigns is needed in order to trigger change from the demand side. To this end, raising the ability of community leaders, including from youth and women’s groups, to engage in a dialogue about their rights with religious leaders, chiefs, societal leaders and local government authorities is critical.

Furthermore, the confusion and ambiguities with regards to the rights of the populations created by the dual governance system and the parallel existence of constitutional and customary law must be addressed simultaneously. This implies supporting processes aiming at harmonizing the customary law with the constitutional and international law, and modifying statutory laws discriminating against women. Priority should be given to the Chieftaincy Act, the Criminal Procedure Act and the customary law pertaining to marriage consent and women’s right to inheritance. It also infers supporting the local governments’ ability to communicate their mandate and, more generally, the acceleration of the decentralization process.

For these actions to succeed, enforcing the law with regards to discrimination, abuse and violence, in particular against women and children, including through systematic investigation and prosecution of leaders from society institutions such as the Soweis and the Lawas is crucial. To this end, harmonizing customary and formal justice systems as well as empowering and capacitating local justice and police system as well as Saturday courts and family support units needs to be prioritized.

Game Changing Priority: Access to Quality Education, Civic and Life Skills Education, and Market-oriented Skills

The low quality of education and levels of literacy are key challenges that must be addressed in order to improve the people’s capacity to claim their rights, access services and fully participate in the democratic, political, social and economic fabric of Sierra Leone. In particular, the lack of education and literacy prevent women and girls to access and use reproductive health services, protect themselves against discrimination (essential role of civic education) and access decent jobs, the most vulnerable to adopt adequate hygiene and feeding practices, the youth to acquire the skills sets

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needed for the industry sectors (including entrepreneurship and innovation), and more generally the citizens to hold their government and institutions accountable.

In response to a challenging educational context, where almost one in three children are not in school and one in four do not complete basic primary education, formal support to the Ministry of Education to help ensure all children have access to a quality education is essential. To do this the following need attention;

o Access and Equity o Early Childhood Development o Education in Emergencies o Quality and Learning o Policy and Systems Strengthening

The initiate of Free Education is a robust contribution to achieve the goal of universal education. To

support this initiative, a better understanding of what the government is proposing by ‘Free

Education’ is required. In a general sense, ‘Free Education’ would certainly increase student

enrolment at all levels, requiring additional inputs such as increased number of classrooms, additional

trained teachers, increased supervision of teachers, more teaching and learning materials including

textbooks. Rapid increase in enrolment will directly impact teaching and learning and as such, will

need to be well managed so that learning outcomes do not decline.

The inability to read and write as an adult has a negative impact on so many aspects of life and fosters a dependency on others that can become burdensome for the literate and the illiterate alike. The illiterate adult is an easy target for those that wish to defraud or mislead others. It also prevents the giving and receiving of knowledge and can exclude the adult from opportunities that literate adults enjoy. Illiteracy can impact unhelpfully in democratic processes and as a result can create situations that slip unnecessarily into unpredictable conflicts. Currently literacy activities tend to be done through small projects, often elements of other bigger programmes, which frequently means they are disjointed and ad-hoc. Looking forward new efforts are needed to raise national literacy levels in a coherent and planned manner. Whilst a priority back in 2003, adult education and training has not yet reached a national ‘tipping point’ and other priorities tend to crowd the space they occupy; To be a multiplier across so many SDGs, the promotion of adult literacy is a developmental foundation that needs more investment. Linked with improving national literacy levels more should be done to prepare the youth for the World of work. This infers training institutions understanding better what that World is and constantly aligning to it.

Game Changing Priority: Socio-economic Inclusion and Empowerment of Adolescents, Young Adults and Adolescent Girls

Addressing the social and economic exclusion of adolescents and young adults, in particular teenage girls and young women, is a critical precondition for the transformation needed to accelerate progress towards the SDGs. Structural unemployment, insufficient secondary and tertiary education, in addition to the issues of teenage pregnancy and early marriage, all prevent the young people of Sierra Leone, in particular girls and young women, from playing their role as engines of social, economic and cultural development. This situation generates discontent, which, if remain unaddressed, could overtime affect the overall peace of the country. Investing in the young generation is a key priority in order to put Sierra Leone on the path to transformation. 41% of the population of Sierra Leone is under 14 years old, 22% is made of adolescents and young adults (between 15 and 24 years old). Thanks to the evolution of its population, Sierra Leone’s

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economy could in a near future benefit from demographic dividends, i.e an acceleration of economic growth resulting from the shifts in the country’s population's age structure. However, this unique opportunity to accelerate development progress depends on Sierra Leone’s decisions and actions to empower its young people and address the causes of their socio-economic exclusion.

To begin with, measures to retain adolescent girls in the secondary school system are critical. Child marriage, teenage pregnancies and poverty are three prominent factors of adolescent girls’ secondary school drop-out, which need to be addressed through universal access to sexual and reproductive health, fight against girls’ discrimination and gender stereotyping, and financial support for girls’ education.

Furthermore, the issue of youth structural unemployment constitutes an urgent priority that requires innovative approaches and measures on both demand and supply sides. Developing the skills sets needed to respond to the economic diversification, urbanization, energy and infrastructure needs of the country is essential. This could be done through the development of tertiary education programmes in the areas of commercial agriculture, renewable energy, waste management, business skills development and entrepreneurship, in partnership with the private sector. Incentives for the recruitment of young graduates along with mentorship programmes must also be explored.

Engaging adolescents and young adults in the expression of their needs and the monitoring of their rights on a continuous basis, including through the use of modern media, is imperative to the success of all priority measures listed above.

Game Changing Priority: Sustainable Financing of Health, Education, Water, Sanitation and Social Protection

Ineffective and insufficient financing of health, education, water and sanitation, social protection and energy is a major obstacle to progress in most human development areas in Sierra Leone. In addition to Government’s commitment to budgetary allocations as per internationally agreed thresholds, mobilizing adequate funding and partnerships for these sectors is critical in order to scale-up the on-going reforms. While adequate revenue tax collection is key and efficient management of public finance instrumental, public private partnerships, increased coordination and integration among partners, greater access to finance and new forms of partnerships including with the media and the private sector through innovative approaches must also be secured to further develop these sectors. Many efforts have been invested in developing legal, institutional, policy and strategy frameworks, and flagship programmes such as the Free Healthcare for Lactating and Pregnant women. However, their implementation and scaling-up cannot solely rely on revenues from taxations or official development assistance. Setting-up sustainable financing solution is of critical importance for Sierra Leone to build on the gains made though on-going reforms.

The social protection system needs particular strengthening to address the high levels of vulnerabilities and inequalities affecting the population of Sierra Leone, in particular the most deprived and marginalized such as survivors of the EVD and natural disasters, elderly, people living with disabilities, and mental disorders, women and children. In order to broaden coverage and increase the floors of social protection in Sierra Leone, viable financial solutions need to be put in place.

Water, and in particular sanitation, are sectors which have been so far largely under-funded and under-prioritized despite their critical role in public health and more generally human development outcomes. Poverty, lack of income and low quality of education being some of the main causes of school drop-out infers financing the education sector to offer free education is fundamental. For

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Sierra Leone to achieve its SDGs targets, large investments which cannot be met by public finance alone in these sectors are required and need innovative financing solutions.

A comprehensive strategy is therefore needed as opposed to ad hoc, partner-driven, unsustainable financial support. Sector-specific financing solutions must be identified and secured, ranging from public-private partnership, to private equity, to corporate social responsibility, tax incentives for investment in the public good delivery, and access to finance.

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CCA PART III: The Comparative Advantage

Comparative Advantage: With very tight reference to the text that defines the aforementioned ‘Game

Changers’ in Part II of the CCA, the specific strengths of UN Agencies were sought based on three

indicators. The indicators are shown below:

• Track Record in Sierra Leone: Evidence submitted by the agency of sustainable national

impact in recent years linked directly with the listed CCA Game Changer.

• Capacity to Operate in Sierra Leone: A combination of expertise, resources and overall office

strength and depth, here and in the region, that can be applied to the issues associated with

the listed Game Changer.

• Positioning / Unique Role in Sierra Leone: An estimation of the influence agencies can have on

key decision makers, their access to and convening power in key ministries, the use of experts

imbedded in key ministries / commissions / support services, and / or their linkages with

informal networks across the country.

The members of the UNCT, both resident and non-resident, were sent a simple questionnaire that

sought to standardize a large data set of information. The questionnaire is shown in Annex D. It was

necessary to drill down to the level of each agency to understand where the strengths are located in

order to then pan back out to see the overall strength, depth and positioning of all the UN agencies as

a whole.

Originally the analysis was going to be done by an external consultant but due to a slow response by

many participants this opportunity was lost and was instead done later by the Strategic Planning

Advisor located in the Resident Coordinator’s Office.

The Analysis

UN agencies The analysis below was based on the data received by the 13 participating agencies by virtue of the

questionnaire in annex D. A full set of data is shown in annex E. Given the sensitive nature of this data

the names of the responding agencies have been removed.

CCA Game Changer: Sustainable Agriculture and Land Reform

UN Agency Level: 10 of 13 participating agencies are actively engaged with this Game Changer. 5

agencies are very well positioned, and 5 more agencies are well positioned, with the majority of

agencies showing tangible successes.

➢ This is a Game Changer for which the UNCT has considerable strength and depth and good

positioning and can therefore very strongly engage going forward. It is very likely that the UN

has comparative advantage in this Game Changer.

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CCA Game Changer: Integrity, Law Enforcement and Social Contract

UN Agency level: 8 of 13 participating agencies are actively engaged with this Game Changer. Most of

the engagement however focuses on law enforcement and the social contract rather than system-

wide integrity issues. 4 agencies are very well positioned, and 1 agency is well positioned with some

agencies showing progress towards successes.

➢ This is a Game Changer for which the UNCT has good strength and reasonable depth and fine

positioning and therefore can engage well going forward. It is likely that the UN has a

comparative advantage here.

CCA Game Changer: Society Emancipation, Gender Equality and Social Progress

UN Agency Level: 4 of 13 participating agencies are actively engaged with this Game Changer. Most of

the engagement focuses on empowering rights holders to be better aware of gender equality and

create environments that are conductive to social progress rather than addressing counter-productive

norms and changing the unhelpful behavior of the duty bearers and non-formal entities. All 4 agencies

that are engaged with this Game Changer are very well positioned and showing steady progress in

their selected areas.

➢ This is a Game Changer for which the UNCT has some strength and some depth and very good

positioning and can therefore engage well going forward. It is likely that the UN has a

comparative advantage here.

CCA Game Changer: Access to Quality Education, Civic and Life Skills and Market-orinetated Skills

UN Agency Level: 7 of 13 participating agencies are actively engaged with this Game Changer. The

engagement covers all aspects of this game changer apart from dedicated adult literacy which was a

key element of this game changer. Market orientated skill training is good but requires a lot of further

scaling up. 5 agencies are very well positioned with 1 agency well positioned. All agencies are showing

good contributions and some also tangible successes.

➢ This is a Game Changer for which the UNCT has good strength and depth and quite good

positioning and can therefore engage well going forward. It is likely that the UN has a

comparative advantage here.

CCA Game Changer: Socio-economic Inclusion and Empowerment of Adolescents, Young Adults and

Adolescent girls

UN Agency Level: 10 of 13 participating agencies are actively engaged with this Game Changer. The

engagement covers all aspects of this Game Changer. 8 agencies are very well positioned with 2

agencies well positioned. All agencies are achieving solid contributions and in certain key areas also

some tangible successes.

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➢ This is a Game Changer for which the UNCT is considerable strength and depth and excellent

positioning and therefore can strongly engage going forward. It is very likely that the UN has a

comparative advantage here.

CCA Game Changer: Sustainable financing of Health, Education, Water, Sanitation and Social Protection

UN Agency Level: 11 of 13 participating agencies claim to be actively engaged with this Game Changer,

however, 8 of those agencies cannot show any tangible results or even progress towards results. The

coverage of most of the issues related to this Game Changer, i.e. assistance with revenue collection,

promotion of better management of public funds handled by formal institutions, promotion of ‘Public,

Private, Partnerships’ (PPPs) to leverage finance and the application of innovative solutions, was very

poor. 2 agencies are very well positioned with 1 agency well positioned. The 3 agencies that

connected well with this Game Changer through PPP and innovative solutions, can show success but in

all three cases significant scaling up would be required to have significant national impact.

➢ This is a Game Changer for which UN agencies have low levels of strength and little depth and

good albeit narrowly defined positioning, and therefore could not engage well going forward.

It is unlikely that the UN has comparative advantage here.

Meeting with International Missions on the Common Country Analysis

The following note was prepared by Philip Dive, Strategic Planning Advisor to the UN in Sierra Leone,

on a consultative meeting with ten International Missions of the CCA:

Note on the Common Country Assessment Meeting with International Missions Background: An invitation letter was sent out by the UN Resident Coordinator to twenty-nine International Missions (Embassies, Donors and International Financial Institutions) that are present in Sierra Leone to attend a technical level meeting that focused in Version 4 of Common Country Analysis (CCA)206. An electronic copy of the CCA was sent to the twenty-nine invited International Missions a week before the meeting. Ten Missions attended the aforementioned meeting on 10th July 2018 that started at 09.30hrs and finished at 11.50hrs. The meeting structure: The meeting was organized and led by the UN’s Strategic Planning Advisor with the following aims:

1. To provide a briefing on the new United Nations Development Assistance Framework

(UNDAF) guidelines that follow the 2030 Agenda and identify how the CCA fits into the

overall UNDAF process. To explain the three sequential steps of the CCA, and in particular

how the two-day workshop that took place in April 2018 led to the six ‘Game Changers’.

2. To explore the ‘Game Changers’ in terms of the UN’s ‘comparative advantage’ in relation to

that of the International Missions.

3. To offer the SDG-organized data and analysis contained within the CCA as a contribution to

the wider work of the international community in the hope that it will prove useful as others

206 Reference is made to UNDAF Guidance page 18: Good practices in UNDAF Preparations. Identify multi-stakeholder partnership strategies in a broad set of national, regional and international partners and determine the roles of the UN system and partners in achieving results, and page 22: Comparative Advantages. Within the CCA, comparative advantage analysis informs the strategic positioning of the UN’s programmes in a country. It allows the identification of specific strengths that members of the of the UN bring individually and collectively in relations to other partners.

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undertake diagnostic / strategic plans.

Summary of the meeting: The briefing on the next generation of UNDAFs for the 2030 Agenda was appreciated noting that the next UNDAF cycle will be the first of three UNDAF cycles leading to 2030. The UNDAF roadmap informed the Group that activities in 2018 will prepare the building blocks for writing the UNDAF in January / February 2019. It was noted that the CCA had three parts; (I) the collection of data and sorting of data by SDGs, (II) the analysis of the data and the application of lenses to arrive at the ‘Game Changers’, and (III) with reference to the ‘Game Changers’ the positioning of the UN and International Missions based on comparative advantages. It was noted that the UNDAF is mandatory for all UN entities. The UN Country Team (UNCT), which includes the International Financial Institutions (IFIs), i.e. WB, ABD and IMF, is referred to very frequently in Sierra Leone. Whilst the IFIs are very important and valued members of the UNCT in Sierra Leone they follow their own country assessments / diagnostics rather than the UNDAF. For the purposes of the UNDAF they are placed alongside the International Missions. The similar ‘way of thinking’ of the UN agencies and the selected / invited NGOs/CSOs that participated in the CCA workshop in April was pointed out by one of the partners as a possible weakness of the analysis. Whilst accepting this observation it was then explained that the ten207 NGOs / CSOs that were invited to the workshop were selected because they were all working on projects that reached down to the most vulnerable, i.e. they were asked at the start of the workshop to be the ‘voice of the most vulnerable’ during the workshop. The group felt that the lenses that the UN applied in the CCA process, i.e. gender equality and conflict prevention, made good sense in the context of Sierra Leone. The additional filtering of those root causes that appeared multiple times across many SDGs was also highly appreciated as it should indeed maximize the outputs / outcomes / impact. The methodology that was used to construct the ‘Game Changers’ was considered clear, and similar to many of the processes that other partners were also following in their own country assessments / diagnostics. Some partners stated that during their own analysis of the country situation that ‘governance’ was a useful starting point. In the UN’s CCA issues related to ‘governance’, or rather the lack of it, emerged frequently as a common root cause that hindered progress in achieving the SDGs. It was suggested that seeing issues of governance as an SDG-wide common root cause strongly reinforced its pivotal role as a cross-cutting theme going forwards. Concern was raised about those root causes that were identified, then filtered out and then discarded by the process that was followed during the CCA workshop. It was noted that such root causes could possibly be re-visited during the UNDAF process early in 2019, especially if they related to narrowly defined activities by specialist agencies and / or appear as priorities within the still to be completed National Development Plan. Conversely, it was pointed out that the six ‘Game Changers’ covered many issues, perhaps too many, suggesting that even more filtering could have been useful. The lack of a direct reference to the following at the conclusion of the workshop process were considered by one or more of the partners as a weakness:

• Ensuring macroeconomic stability

• Strengthening of parliamentary processes

• Follow up on the Constitutional Review

207 Ten NGOs/CSOs were invited. Eight participated in the CCA workshop.

70

• Provision of educational special needs

Whether these are root causes or manifestations of root causes is possible discussion, however, it was accepted that these issues are important and should be referred to more as the UNDAF moves towards designing programmes. It was noted that the UNDAF is the umbrella strategic document that agency-specific plans containing programmes will follow during the middle of 2019. Whilst accepting that the UNDAF process has a long way to go, and that ‘perfection is the enemy of the good’, there was a broad consensus that the CCA’s ‘Game Changers’ were a solid starting point for the construction of the next UNDAF. Whilst all the ‘Game Changers’ all had an intrinsic value, three root causes in particular resonated with the Group, those being the need to solve nation-wide problems related to land tenure, adult literacy and law enforcement. A question was raised about the emergent ‘Game Changers’ for the 2020 UNDAF in comparison with their equivalents for the 2015 (current) UNDAF. Whilst a direct comparison would be difficult to make due to changing UNDAF methodology / process, it was considered true to say that many of the problems facing the country today remain similar to those that were facing the country previously. Also, that whilst there was progress it was erratic and irregular progress across the various sectors. As the group discussed this further it emerged that ‘behavioral change’ was at the core of many root causes and that in most cases it takes a long time to alter a person’s or a group’s or a country’s mindset208. It was a worry that without deep-seated mindset changes that the overall sustainability of the Sustainable Development Goals could be threatened, and also that ‘external’ interventions can only do so much due to the sensitive nature of stating and then pursuing behavioral changing objectives. Referring to UN’s comparative advantages exercise there was general agreement that the results shown in the CCA document aligned with the perceptions of the Group. Concerning the comparative advantages of the International Missions in relation to those of the UN Agencies there was a reluctance to take this discussion further because; (a) those present did not feel they could speak on behalf of those that were absent, (b) track records in certain sectors could be politically sensitive, (c) it was felt that only the Heads of Missions could compare and contrast strengths and weaknesses, and (d) it would be very difficult to speak only as a development specialist, i.e. everyone was automatically associated with their Mission. During the discussion there was agreement that the collection and presentation of country level data using the SDG framework, as was done for the CCA, was very useful. It was expected that the SDGs would become, if not already the case, national reference points in Sierra Leone that together will provide a solid planning framework across the various diagnostic tools and strategies that are present in the country. There was a good awareness of the 2030 Agenda and clear instructions from HQs from around the World about the need to promote and align to the internationally agreed Goals. Concerning programme coordination there was an enquiry about the existence of a centralized database that would also contribute to the management of international aid, and indirectly also provide the Government with a reference point to consider ‘comparative advantages’. It was noted that the Development Assistance Database (DAD) undertakes this task and it is located in DACO (formally located in MoFED, and probably now MoPED). The outdated nature of the DAD was noted, and a suggestion was made that it would be beneficial for everyone involved in international assistance to update the software, especially in light of the 2030 Agenda.

208 Noting that ‘Tipping Points’ can be illusive for a long time and then suddenly and completely tip, sometimes even without any clear logic and / or for unexpected reasons.

71

It was not clear at this stage if the people in the room would form a distinct / defined ‘advisory group’ for the CCA / UNDAF or not. It was agreed that it would make a lot of sense to keep the same people from the International Missions engaged in the whole UNDAF process. On the other hand, those that did not attend this meeting could subsequently feel excluded from future meetings and that maybe problematic. This was therefore left undecided whilst advice was sought from the UN Resident Coordinator. It was clear and agreed, however, that one way or another the International Missions should stay closely engaged with the UNDAF formation and roll out. A web-based address of the new UNDAF guidelines was requested and will be provided by the UN. On behalf of the UN family in Sierra Leone, the Strategic Planning Advisor expressed his gratitude to the staff members of those International Missions that attended the meeting for their valuable time and contribution to the CCA / UNDAF process.

72

Annex A: Statistical Information on the Population of Sierra Leone

73

Annex B: Poverty Levels at National, Regional and District levels

Source: Agenda for Prosperity

74

Annex C: Schematic of Workshop Process

75

76

77

Annex D: Outline CCA Workshop Programme

Day Session Block Lead Level of Participation

Wednesday 18 April

08.30

Registration

RCO

09.00 Opening

• Welcome

• New UNDAF / New opportunities

• The international work of Sierra Leone Permanent Mission to the UN

• MoFAIC working with the International Community to Sierra Leone

Ms. Nyabenyi Tipo RC a.i. / Rep FAO Director Patrick Koroma. MoFAIC

1 + 2

09.15 The role of the CCA in the UNDAF

• UNDAF Roadmap

• New UNDAF Guidance with SDGs at its core

Philp Dive Strategic Planning Advisor UN

1 + 2

09.30 Developing a CCA guided by the 2030 Agenda - The CCA structure and methodology

Ms. Laura Marconnet CCA Consultant

1 + 2

09.45 Current work on the adaptation of the 2030 Global Agenda

• Development Partnerships and National Planning

• The Poverty Reduction Strategy

• The SDGs in Sierra Leone

• 2035 National Vision

Dr. Sheka Bangura. MoFED

1 + 2

10.05 Briefing on the information in the Desk Review by SDG theme

Philip Dive Strategic Planning Advisor UN

10.10 • PEOPLE - Health, Dignity and Equality

Dr Kim Dickson. UNFPA

10.30

Break 1 + 2

10.45

Briefing on the information in the Desk Review by SDG theme … continued

• PROSPERITY - Economic Progress and Growth

• PLANET – Sustainable living and the climate

• PEACE - Justice, Inclusivity, and

Ms. Nyanbenyi Tipo. FAO Dr Mary Okumo. UNWOMEN Dr. Sam Doe.

1 + 2

78

Safety

• PARTNERSHIP – Means of implementation

• Open Microphone

UNDP Mr. Houssianou Taal WFP Philip Dive Strategic Planner

12.30 Lunch

1 + 2

14.00 Introduction to Group Work Causal Analysis part I Exercise 1: Instructions – /immediate / underlying / root causes Group work by Themes and sub-groups:

• PEOPLE - Health, Dignity and Equality

➢ Poverty / Hunger ➢ Health / Water and

Sanitation ➢ Education / Gender

equality

• PROSPERITY - Economic Progress and Growth

➢ Access s to energy / Sustainable industrialization and infrastructure

➢ Inclusive Growth / inequalities

• PLANET – Sustainable living and the climate

➢ Sustainable human settlements / vulnerability to climate change

➢ Sustainable consumption and production / sustainable use of natural resources / sustainable use of oceans and marine resources

• PEACE - Justice, Inclusivity, and Safety

➢ Justice, inclusive institutions and safety

Ms. Laura Marconnet CCA consultant 4 Theme Groups Please note that the ‘partnerships theme’ will not attempted as part of the break out groups because it was already presented by MoFED and also the Development Partners are not present at this workshop.

2 only

15.00 Key Tools: • Conflict lens

Ms. Simonetta Rossi Peace and Development Advisor

79

• Gender lens

Dr. Mary Okumu Rep UNWOMEN

15.20 Break

2 only

16.20 Tour of the tables Exercise 2: instructions

• Seeing the root causes through the conflict and gender lenses

• Common root causes Exercise 3: Déjà vu

• Finding multipliers and prioritization

Ms. Laura Marconnet CCA consultant 4 Theme Groups Mr. Philip Dive Strategic Planner

2 only

17.10 Progress reporting

4 Theme Groups

2 only

17.45 Finish day one

Thursday 19 April

09.00 Outline of Day 2

2 only

09.10 Human Rights Based Approach to Analysis: Refresher Presentation

Mr. Tsagao TRAORE Programme Specialist Rule of Law, Justice and Human Right Adviser

2 only

09.30 • Role Pattern Analysis

• Capacity Gap Analysis

Ms. Laura Marconnet CCA consultant Game changer groups

2 only

10,30 Break 2 only

11.00 • Enabling Environment Analysis

Ms. Laura Marconnet CCA consultant

2 only

12.00 Write up

Participants 2 only

13.00 Lunch

1 + 2

14.30 Reporting Back

• Presentation of Game Changers

• Presentation of tentative CCA recommendations on focus

Participants

80

areas

17.00 Vote of thanks Next steps

• UN-agency comparative advantages

• Further and Consultations with Line Ministries

• Finalization of CCA

Mr Gardener UNOPS Philip Dive Strategic Planning Advisor UN

1 + 2

17.30

Closing remarks

Mr. John Sumailah Development Secretary MoFED Ms. Nyabenyi Tipo RC a.i. / Rep FAO

1 + 2

81

Annex E: Photos from the CCA workshop

82

83

Annex F: Questionnaire sent to UN agencies

Instructions: Based on the game changing priorities identified in the CCA, use evidence and the table below to assess the positioning of your agency against each priority. Engage your agency in a reflection on past achievements, current and future capacity, and the overall strategic role of the agency vis-à-vis the game changing priorities.

Game changing Priority: Sustainable agriculture and land reform

Agency Name:

Agency Track Record in Challenge Area

Outcomes (evaluation results):

Activities and outputs:

Partner feedback and evaluation information on track record relative to others:

Agency Capacity in Challenge Area

Technical/advisory expertise:

Program management/administrative capacity:

Relationships with key actors:

Staff:

Budget:

Geographic presence:

Other:

Evidence of Better Positioning/ Unique Roles Recognized by Partners

Convening:

Technical/policy advising:

Capacity building:

Normative dialogue/ advocacy:

Monitoring & evaluation:

Other:

Game changing Priority: Integrity, law enforcement and social contract

Agency Name:

Agency Track Record in Challenge Area

Outcomes (evaluation results):

Activities and outputs:

Partner feedback and evaluation information on track record relative to others:

Agency Capacity in Challenge Area

Technical/advisory expertise:

Program management/administrative capacity:

Relationships with key actors:

Staff:

Budget:

Geographic presence:

Other:

Evidence of Better Positioning/ Unique Roles Recognized by Partners

Convening:

Technical/policy advising:

Capacity building:

Normative dialogue/ advocacy:

84

Monitoring & evaluation:

Other:

Game changing Priority: Society emancipation, gender equality and social progress

Agency Name:

Agency Track Record in Challenge Area

Outcomes (evaluation results):

Activities and outputs:

Partner feedback and evaluation information on track record relative to others:

Agency Capacity in Challenge Area

Technical/advisory expertise:

Program management/administrative capacity:

Relationships with key actors:

Staff:

Budget:

Geographic presence:

Other:

Evidence of Better Positioning/ Unique Roles Recognized by Partners

Convening:

Technical/policy advising:

Capacity building:

Normative dialogue/ advocacy:

Monitoring & evaluation:

Other:

Game changing Priority: Access to quality education, civic and life skills education, and market-oriented skills

Agency Name:

Agency Track Record in Challenge Area

Outcomes (evaluation results):

Activities and outputs:

Partner feedback and evaluation information on track record relative to others:

Agency Capacity in Challenge Area

Technical/advisory expertise:

Program management/administrative capacity:

Relationships with key actors:

Staff:

Budget:

Geographic presence:

Other:

Evidence of Better Positioning/ Unique Roles Recognized by Partners

Convening:

Technical/policy advising:

Capacity building:

Normative dialogue/ advocacy:

Monitoring & evaluation:

Other:

Game changing Priority: Socio-economic inclusion and empowerment of adolescents, young adults and adolescent girls

Agency Name:

85

Agency Track Record in Challenge Area

Outcomes (evaluation results):

Activities and outputs:

Partner feedback and evaluation information on track record relative to others:

Agency Capacity in Challenge Area

Technical/advisory expertise:

Program management/administrative capacity:

Relationships with key actors:

Staff:

Budget:

Geographic presence:

Other:

Evidence of Better Positioning/ Unique Roles Recognized by Partners

Convening:

Technical/policy advising:

Capacity building:

Normative dialogue/ advocacy:

Monitoring & evaluation:

Other:

Game changing Priority: Sustainable Financing of Health, Education, Water, Sanitation and Social Protection

Agency Name:

Agency Track Record in Challenge Area

Outcomes (evaluation results):

Activities and outputs:

Partner feedback and evaluation information on track record relative to others:

Agency Capacity in Challenge Area

Technical/advisory expertise:

Program management/administrative capacity:

Relationships with key actors:

Staff:

Budget:

Geographic presence:

Other:

Evidence of Better Positioning/ Unique Roles Recognized by Partners

Convening:

Technical/policy advising:

Capacity building:

Normative dialogue/ advocacy:

Monitoring & evaluation:

Other:

86

Annex G: Analysis of UN Agency Questionnaires

Please note that N/A is noted in those sections where the agency entered no information.

CCA Game Changer

➢ Sustainable Agriculture and Land Reform

Estimated Contribution

Agency Indicator High Medium Low N/A

Track Record X

Capacity X

Positioning / Unique role X

Estimated Contribution

Agency Indicator High Medium Low N/A

Track Record X

Capacity X

Positioning / Unique role X

Estimated Contribution

Agency Indicator High Medium Low N/A

Track Record X

Capacity X

Positioning / Unique role X

Estimated Contribution

Agency Indicator High Medium Low N/A

Track Record X

Capacity X

Positioning / Unique role X

Estimated Contribution

Agency Indicator High Medium Low N/A

Track Record X

Capacity X

Positioning / Unique role X

Estimated Contribution

Agency Indicator High Medium Low N/A

Track Record X

Capacity X

Positioning / Unique role X

Estimated Contribution

Agency Indicator High Medium Low N/A

Track Record X

Capacity X

Positioning / Unique role X

Estimated Contribution

Agency Indicator High Medium Low N/A

Track Record X

Capacity X

Positioning / Unique role X

87

Estimated Contribution

Agency Indicator High Medium Low N/A

Track Record X

Capacity X

Positioning / Unique role X

Estimated Contribution

Agency Indicator High Medium Low N/A

Track Record X

Capacity X

Positioning / Unique role X

Estimated Contribution

Agency Indicator High Medium Low N/A

Track Record X

Capacity X

Positioning / Unique role X

Estimated Contribution

Agency Indicator High Medium Low N/A

Track Record X

Capacity X

Positioning / Unique role X

Estimated Contribution

Agency Indicator High Medium Low N/A

Track Record X

Capacity X

Positioning / Unique role X

CCA Game Changer

➢ Integrity, Law Enforcement and Social Contract

Estimated Contribution

Agency Indicator High Medium Low N/A

Track Record X

Capacity X

Positioning / Unique role X

Estimated Contribution

Agency Indicator High Medium Low N/A

Track Record X

Capacity X

Positioning / Unique role X

Estimated Contribution

Agency Indicator High Medium Low N/A

Track Record X

Capacity X

Positioning / Unique role X

Estimated Contribution

Agency Indicator High Medium Low N/A

Track Record X

Capacity X

Positioning / Unique role X

88

Estimated Contribution

Agency Indicator High Medium Low N/A

Track Record X

Capacity X

Positioning / Unique role X

Estimated Contribution

Agency Indicator High Medium Low N/A

Track Record X

Capacity X

Positioning / Unique role X

Estimated Contribution

Agency Indicator High Medium Low N/A

Track Record X

Capacity X

Positioning / Unique role X

Estimated Contribution

Agency Indicator High Medium Low N/A

Track Record X

Capacity X

Positioning / Unique role X

Estimated Contribution

Agency Indicator High Medium Low N/A

Track Record X

Capacity X

Positioning / Unique role X

Estimated Contribution

Agency Indicator High Medium Low N/A

Track Record X

Capacity X

Positioning / Unique role X

Estimated Contribution

Agency Indicator High Medium Low N/A

Track Record X

Capacity X

Positioning / Unique role X

Estimated Contribution

Agency Indicator High Medium Low N/A

Track Record X

Capacity X

Positioning / Unique role X

Estimated Contribution

Agency Indicator High Medium Low N/A

Track Record X

Capacity X

Positioning / Unique role X

89

CCA Game Changer

➢ Society Emancipation, Gender Equality and social Progress

Estimated Contribution

Agency Indicator High Medium Low N/A

Track Record X

Capacity X

Positioning / Unique role X

Estimated Contribution

Agency Indicator High Medium Low N/A

Track Record X

Capacity X

Positioning / Unique role X

Estimated Contribution

Agency Indicator High Medium Low N/A

Track Record X

Capacity X

Positioning / Unique role X

Estimated Contribution

Agency Indicator High Medium Low N/A

Track Record X

Capacity X

Positioning / Unique role X

Estimated Contribution

Agency Indicator High Medium Low N/A

Track Record X

Capacity X

Positioning / Unique role X

Estimated Contribution

Agency Indicator High Medium Low N/A

Track Record X

Capacity X

Positioning / Unique role X

Estimated Contribution

Agency Indicator High Medium Low N/A

Track Record X

Capacity X

Positioning / Unique role X

Estimated Contribution

Agency Indicator High Medium Low N/A

Track Record X

Capacity X

Positioning / Unique role X

Estimated Contribution

Agency Indicator High Medium Low N/A

Track Record X

Capacity X

Positioning / Unique role X

90

Estimated Contribution

Agency Indicator High Medium Low N/A

Track Record X

Capacity X

Positioning / Unique role X

Estimated Contribution

Agency Indicator High Medium Low N/A

Track Record X

Capacity X

Positioning / Unique role X

Estimated Contribution

Agency Indicator High Medium Low N/A

Track Record X

Capacity X

Positioning / Unique role X

Estimated Contribution

Agency Indicator High Medium Low N/A

Track Record X

Capacity X

Positioning / Unique role X

Major National Challenge / CCA Game Changer

➢ Access to Quality Education, Civic and Life Skills and Market-orinetated Skills

Estimated Contribution

Agency Indicator High Medium Low N/A

Track Record X

Capacity X

Positioning / Unique role X

Estimated Contribution

Agency Indicator High Medium Low N/A

Track Record X

Capacity X

Positioning / Unique role X

Estimated Contribution

Agency Indicator High Medium Low N/A

Track Record X

Capacity X

Positioning / Unique role X

Estimated Contribution

Agency Indicator High Medium Low N/A

Track Record X

Capacity X

Positioning / Unique role X

Estimated Contribution

Agency Indicator High Medium Low N/A

Track Record X

91

Capacity X

Positioning / Unique role X

Estimated Contribution

Agency Indicator High Medium Low N/A

Track Record X

Capacity X

Positioning / Unique role X

Estimated Contribution

Agency Indicator High Medium Low N/A

Track Record X

Capacity X

Positioning / Unique role X

Estimated Contribution

Agency Indicator High Medium Low N/A

Track Record X

Capacity X

Positioning / Unique role X

Estimated Contribution

Agency Indicator High Medium Low N/A

Track Record X

Capacity X

Positioning / Unique role X

Estimated Contribution

Agency Indicator High Medium Low N/A

Track Record X

Capacity X

Positioning / Unique role X

Estimated Contribution

Agency Indicator High Medium Low N/A

Track Record X

Capacity X

Positioning / Unique role X

Estimated Contribution

Agency Indicator High Medium Low N/A

Track Record X

Capacity X

Positioning / Unique role X

Estimated Contribution

Agency Indicator High Medium Low N/A

Track Record X

Capacity X

Positioning / Unique role X

CCA Game Changer

➢ Socio-economic Inclusion and Empowerment of Adolescents, Young adualts and Adolescent girls

Estimated Contribution

92

Agency Indicator High Medium Low N/A

Track Record X

Capacity X

Positioning / Unique role X

Estimated Contribution

Agency Indicator High Medium Low N/A

Track Record X

Capacity X

Positioning / Unique role X

Estimated Contribution

Agency Indicator High Medium Low N/A

Track Record X

Capacity X

Positioning / Unique role X

Estimated Contribution

Agency Indicator High Medium Low N/A

Track Record X

Capacity X

Positioning / Unique role X

Estimated Contribution

Agency Indicator High Medium Low N/A

Track Record X

Capacity X

Positioning / Unique role X

Estimated Contribution

Agency Indicator High Medium Low N/A

Track Record X

Capacity X

Positioning / Unique role X

Estimated Contribution

Agency Indicator High Medium Low N/A

Track Record X

Capacity X

Positioning / Unique role X

Estimated Contribution

Agency Indicator High Medium Low N/A

Track Record X

Capacity X

Positioning / Unique role X

Estimated Contribution

Agency Indicator High Medium Low N/A

Track Record X

Capacity X

Positioning / Unique role X

Estimated Contribution

Agency Indicator High Medium Low N/A

93

Track Record X

Capacity X

Positioning / Unique role X

Estimated Contribution

Agency Indicator High Medium Low N/A

Track Record X

Capacity X

Positioning / Unique role X

Estimated Contribution

Agency Indicator High Medium Low N/A

Track Record X

Capacity X

Positioning / Unique role X

Estimated Contribution

Agency Indicator High Medium Low N/A

Track Record X

Capacity X

Positioning / Unique role X

Major National Challenge / CCA Game Changer

➢ Sustianable financing of Health, Education, Water, Santitation and Social Protection

Estimated Contribution

Agency Indicator High Medium Low N/A

Track Record X

Capacity X

Positioning / Unique role X

Estimated Contribution

Agency Indicator High Medium Low N/A

Track Record X

Capacity X

Positioning / Unique role X

Estimated Contribution

Agency Indicator High Medium Low N/A

Track Record X

Capacity X

Positioning / Unique role X

Estimated Contribution

Agency Indicator High Medium Low N/A

Track Record X

Capacity X

Positioning / Unique role X

Estimated Contribution

Agency Indicator High Medium Low N/A

Track Record X

Capacity X

Positioning / Unique role X

94

Estimated Contribution

Agency Indicator High Medium Low N/A

Track Record X

Capacity X

Positioning / Unique role X

Estimated Contribution

Agency Indicator High Medium Low N/A

Track Record X

Capacity X

Positioning / Unique role X

Estimated Contribution

Agency Indicator High Medium Low N/A

Track Record X

Capacity X

Positioning / Unique role X

Estimated Contribution

Agency Indicator High Medium Low N/A

Track Record X

Capacity X

Positioning / Unique role X

Estimated Contribution

Agency Indicator High Medium Low N/A

Track Record X

Capacity X

Positioning / Unique role X

Estimated Contribution

Agency Indicator High Medium Low N/A

Track Record X

Capacity X

Positioning / Unique role X

Estimated Contribution

Agency Indicator High Medium Low N/A

Track Record X

Capacity X

Positioning / Unique role X

Estimated Contribution

Agency Indicator High Medium Low N/A

Track Record X

Capacity X

Positioning / Unique role X

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Annex H. After Action Review Summary Document

The United Nations After Action Review of the Combined Response to the

14 August 2017 Mudslide & Flooding in Sierra Leone SUMMARY (May 2018)

In April 2018 the United Nations Sierra Leone conducted an After Action Review (UN AAR) of the Landslide and Flooding Response that started on 14th August 2017. The AAR was focused upon internal UN lessons learned with the wish to develop actions to ensure that the United Nations could be even better prepared and able to respond faster to future hazards in Sierra Leone. Five themes of actions emerged.

• Actions so to be better prepared to respond,

• Actions on how to better reduce vulnerability during a crisis,

• Actions to ensure a better transition from the response to a resilient recovery,

• Actions to reduce the impact of future hazards, and,

• Actions to open up new dialogues in order to work even better with other partners. A multi-agency AAR Working Group engaged with the independent consultant throughout the UN AAR process that is outlined below.

A baseline questionnaire was created and ten resident UN Agencies completed it so providing 800 reference data points. This formed a standardized baseline about the actions that took place during the response and the transition from response to the recovery. In addition, external partners that were central to the mudslide response engaged with the UN AAR. This included their observations and their perceptions of

the UN’s engagement.

The questionnaires and interviews were collated by the aforementioned themes and the responding agencies’ identities were all removed (see an example in the diagram above). Trends and observations were duly noted. The UN AAR analytical framework comprised four levels of analysis which collectively developed a deep understanding of what happened. This was followed by suggested improvements at each level. This analysis was further unpacked and developed through agency interviews. The suggested findings were presented at a UN internal half-day workshop and then further defined. The

Section 01

N/A

AGENCY No Answer

N/A

AGENCY No Answer

Question 01 How do you percieve the overall importance of the role of your Agency within the recent Response?

1 2 3 4 5 6

Not Important Negligable Moderately Important Important Highly Important Critically Important

KEY POINT SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 01: PERCEPTIONS

Overall we can see clearly that all 10 agencies feel that their repsective roles within response are important - to critical. We can also see in the upper block those agencies with core response

mandates rate this generally higher - the mid-block of critical cross-cutting agencies are more centered - and the lower block of more development focused agencies still see their role as important,

but as would be expected they see this as perhaps less critical. Overall this first question demonstrates a positive response - with a breakdown in scales of importance that would be logically expected.

Not Important Negligable Moderately Important Important Highly Important Critically Important

Question 02 How do you see that the overall importance of your Agency was percieved within the recent Response by other UN Agencies, government and partners?

1 2 3 4 5 6

Perceptions are important. This question enables agencies to feedback how they feel they are percieved externally in the response. We can see a similar reflection from the first, internal, question -

with a slight decrease that can be from both the inter-agency and government perspectives. Agency number 10 in the list showed a disparity in this response - which was followed up and developed in

the follwing interview stage. This agency - being more in the development sector block - felt that there were initially less expectations of their role in the response. However it should be noted that the

agency was still well integrated and engaged fully in the response despite this intiial perception.

96

recommendations were transformed into an action plan and that plan is currently being implemented, mainly through the UN’s Programme Manager’s Team.

UN AAR Recommendations:

1. The creation of agency partnerships building on the strengths and / or mandates to promote functional teams. Each functional team will start working together in advance of the next crisis to develop a dialogue and gain from each other’s expertise (see diagram to the left).

2. Using the functional teams undertake desk top scenarios to practice their operations at each phase of the emergency, as well as greater integration between the functional teams (see

diagram below).

3. Formal training and practice on the Gold and Silver command structures and more widely disseminated information on all the structures used by the Office of National Security prior to the onset of the emergency.

4. Harmonise registration

procedures across the appropriate agencies to

improve efficiency of data capture and also provide quicker assistance to the most vulnerable. Define more precisely the definitions of vulnerability, based on the scenarios mentioned above.

5. Reflect on the transitions and connections between the Damage and Loss Assessment (DaLA) and the Recovery Risk Management Action Plan (RRMAP) and Landslide Recovery Framework (LRF). Do a stocktake of the RRMAP and revitalise it where appropriate and possible.

6. Reach out to agencies that have expertise in housing, settlements and urban planning with the aim of promoting innovative thinking and solutions to reduce risks and improve options

P1 P2

P3

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for the most vulnerable. Identify high risk communities before the rains start and assist creating viable and sustainable options.

7. Study other examples of Preparedness and Response Plans (PRPs) in the region and learn from best examples. Seek regional assistance and expertise as and when necessary.

Overall the emphasis is on better internal harmonisation of the UN’s capacities to support the government-led response architectures and frameworks that exist in the Sierra Leone.

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List of Documents National planning frameworks, analysis and reports: Crisis response Government of Sierra Leone, National Ebola Recovery Strategy for Sierra Leone, 2015-2017, July 2015 Report on the National Ebola Recovery Strategy? Government of Sierra Leone, Landslide response framework, November 2017 Disability Natalie Cherchas, December 2014, Reducing Barriers and Increasing Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities: A Comparative Case Study of Two Post-Conflict Nations, Cambodia and Sierra Leone, International Development Department College of Social Sciences School of Government and Society Ebola and natural disasters Himelein, Kristen; Testaverde, Mauro; Turay, Abubakarr; Turay, Samuel. 2015. The Socio-Economic Impacts of Ebola in Sierra Leone: Results from a High Frequency Cell Phone Survey, Round 3. World Bank, Washington, DC. © World Bank. https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/22037 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO. Lisa Denney and Richard Mallett with Ramatu Jalloh, After Ebola: why and how capacity support to Sierra Leone’s health sector needs to change, ODI Research reports and studies, July 2015 UNFPA, Sierra Leone 2015 Population and Housing Census, Thematic Report on socio-economic impact of the Ebola Virus Disease UNDP, EPA, Analysis of the Causal and Trigger Factors of the August 2017 Landslide in Freetown: towards a Sustainable Landslide Risk Management in Sierra Leone World Bank, Rapid Damage and Loss Assessment of August 14th, 2017 Landslides and Floods in the Wester Area Economy AfDB, UNDP, 2017 Sierra Leone Economic Outlook IMF Country Report No. 17/154 Sierra Leone Request for a Three-Year Arrangement under the Extended Credit Facility – Press release, Staff report, and Statement b the Executive Director For Sierra Leone THE LEAST DEVELOPED COUNTRIES REPORT 2016 ,The path to graduation and beyond: Making the most of the process Business World Bank Group. 2017. Economy Profile of Sierra Leone. Doing Business 2018;. World Bank, Washington, DC. © World Bank. https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/28799 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO. Education Education Sector Plan 2018-2020 Ministry of Education, Sciences and Technology, 2013, Sierra Leone Education Country Status Report Employment and labor Gonzalez, Alvaro S.; Michel Gutierrez, Veronica. 2017. Sierra Leone : Jobs Diagnostic. Job series,no.11;; Jobs Series;No. 11. World Bank, Washington, DC. © World Bank. https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/29028 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO. Margolis, David; Rosas, Nina; Turay, Abubakarr; Turay, Samuel. 2016. Findings from the 2014 Labor Force Survey in Sierra Leone. World Bank Study;. Washington, DC: World Bank. © World Bank. https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/23738 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.”

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Environment, Climate Change , Disasters Risk EPA, 2016, The State of Environment Report EPA, 2016, The State of Marine Environment Report 2017, Biodiversity Strategic Action Plan Irish Aid, Country Climate Action Report, 2016 Environmental and Social REsultations for the Minerals Sector, 2012 Dr. Patrick Tarawalli , UNDP, 2012, DIAGNOSTIC ANALYSIS OF , CLIMATE CHANGE AND DISASTER MANAGEMENT IN RELATION TO THE PRSP III IN SIERRA LEONE European Union, Freetown City Council, Urban Planning project 2011-2014, Environmental Assessment and Evaluation of Natural Disaster Risk and Mitigation in Freetown Extractive Fanthorpe, Richard; Gabelle, Christopher. 2013. Political Economy of Extractives Governance in Sierra Leone. World Bank, Washington, DC. © World Bank. https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/16726 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO. Food Security Government of Sierra Leone, 2015, State of Food Security in Sierra Leone, Comprehensive Food Security and Vulnerability Analysis Gender UNDP, Irish Aid, Assessing Sexual and Gender Based Violence during the Ebola Crisis in Sierra Leone, 2015 Ministry of Social Welfare Sector plan and reviews? Owolabi Bjälkander, African Journal of Reproductive Health December 2012, Female Genital Mutilation in Sierra Leone: who are the decision makers? Governance World Bank. 2012. Sierra Leone : Strengthening Entry-Level Leadership Development in the Civil Service. Washington, DC. © World Bank. https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/27160 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO. Heidi Tavakoli , ODI, Public financial management reforms in fragile states , The case of Sierra Leone October 2012 UNDP, NEC, An Assessment of Access to the Electoral Process for Persons with Disabilities in Sierra Leone, 2017 Health David K. Evans, Markus Goldstein, Anna Popova, July 2015, The Next Wave of Deaths from Ebola? The Impact of Health Care Worker Mortality, World Bank SL HSSP 2017-2021 Sophie Witter, HEART, 2016, The Sierra Leone Free Health Care Initiative (FHCI): process and effectiveness review Maternal Death Surveillance and Response, 2016 Annual Report, MOHS Infrastructures Pushak, Nataliya; Foster, Vivien. 2011. Sierra Leone's Infrastructure : A Continental Perspective. Africa Infrastructure Country Diagnostic;. World Bank, Washington, DC. © World Bank. https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/27260 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO. Land USAID, 2016, Property Rights and Resource Governance Profile MDGs

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Government of Sierra Leone, 2015 Millennium Development Goals Report, June 2016 Government of Sierra Leone, 2012, MDG Report Population UNFPA, Sierra Leone 2015 Population and Housing Census National Analytical Report Poverty World Bank, Statistics Sierra Leone, 2012 (?), Sierra Leone Poverty Profile PRSP Government of Sierra Leone, the Agenda for Prosperity 2013-2018, Road to Middle-Income Status A4P Annual progress report 2016 Social protection Silvério Marques, José; Van Dyck, John; Namara, Suleiman; Costa, Rita; Bailor, Sybil. 2013, Sierra Leone Social Protection Assessment. Social protection and labor discussion paper;no. 1406. World Bank, Washington, DC. © World Bank. https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/18966 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO. SDGs Government of Sierra Leone, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Simplified version, December 2015 Government of Sierra Leone, The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, Adaptation of the Goals in Sierra Leone, Progress Report, December 2015 Government of Sierra Leone, Draft gender sector Policy Research Paper, identifying needs for achieving SDG5, towards the Formulation of national SDGs investment Plan in Sierra Leone, December 2017 Government of Sierra Leone, Draft Environment Sector Policy Research Paper, identifying needs for achieving SD12&14, towards the Formulation of national SDGs investment Plan in Sierra Leone, December 2017 Government of Sierra Leone, Draft Governance Sector Policy Research Paper (information, communication and technology, ICT), identifying needs for achieving SDG17, towards the Formulation of national SDGs investment Plan in Sierra Leone, December 2017 Government of Sierra Leone, Draft Infrastructure Sector Policy Research Paper, identifying needs for achieving SDG9&17, towards the Formulation of national SDGs investment Plan in Sierra Leone, December 2017 Sierra Leone Fragility Assessment 2015 Sierra Leone Fragility Assessment 2016 Statistics Sierra Leone Annual School Census 2015 Sierra Leone Population and Housing census 2015 Sierra Leone Demographic and health Survey 2013 Sierra Leone Integrated Household Survey, 2011 State of Food Security in Sierra Leone 2015, Comprehensive Food Security and Vulnerability Analysis, Data collected September, October 2015 Thematic analysis and plans Agriculture and land World Bank, Agricultural profile, May 2014 World Bank. 2015. Sierra Leone : Basic Agricultural Public Expenditure Diagnostic Review, 2003-2012. Washington, DC. © World Bank. https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/22270 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.

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Kaindaneh, Peter M.. 2015. Sierra Leone : Land Governance Assessment Framework. World Bank, Washington, DC. © World Bank. https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/28511 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO. Agriculture Sector Plan UN Common programming UNCT 2013 Country Analysis UNCT in Sierra Leone, United Nations Development Assistance Framework 2013-2018 UN in Sierra Leone, Annual Progress Report 2015, Summary Document UN human rights monitoring reports / UN charter-based bodies reports Human Rights Council Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review, twenty-Fourth session, 18_29 January 2016, National Report submitted in accordance with paragraph 5 of the annex to Human Rights Council resolution 16/21, Sierra Leone Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, Concluding observations on the sixth periodic report of Sierra Leone, March 2014 Committee on the Rights of the Child, Concluding observations on the combined third to fifth periodic reports of Sierra Leone, November 2016 Country report by Sierra Leone on the Implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action (1995) and the Outcome of the Twenty-Third Special Session of the General Assembly (2000) Report of the Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief, Heiner Bielefeldt, MRCH (Decembre 2013 ) Report of the Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences, Ms. Radhika Coomaraswamy (August 2001) End of Visit Statement by the Special Rapporteur on the implications for human rights of the environmentally sound management and disposal of hazardous substances, Baskut Tuncak Urbanisation and informal settlements Dr. Joseph M. Macarthy, Braima Koroma, Framing the research agenda and capacity building needs for urban development in Freetown, Sierra Leone Urban Research Center, 2016 Water and sanitation Alhaji Brima Gogra , Jun Yao, Victor Tamba Simbay Kabba , Edward Hinga Sandy , Gyula Zaray ,Solomon Peter Gbanie , Tamba Samuel Bandagba, A Situation Analysis of Waste Management in Freetown, Journal of American Sciences, 2010 World Bank. 2011. Water Supply and Sanitation in Sierra Leone : Turning Finance into Services for 2015 and Beyond. An AMCOW country status overview;. Nairobi. © World Bank. https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/17760 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO. Foday Pinka Sankoh, Xiangbin Yan, Quangyen Tran, 2013, Environmental and Health Impact of Solid Waste Disposal in Developing Cities: A Case Study of Granville Brook Dumpsite, Freetown, Sierra Leone, Journal of Environmental Protection World Bank / African Development Bank World Bank / African Development Bank, Joint Country Assistance Strategy for the Republic of Sierra Leone for FY10-FY13, March 2010 Youth National youth Commission and Ministry of Youth Employment and Sports, 2012 Youth Development Report Molla Mekonnen Alemu, Youth Unemployment Challenges and Opportunities: the Case of Sierra Leone , International Journal of Social Science Studies Vol. 4, No. 10; October 2016