DƆNÙESÈ Data Center / Women’s Rights Laws by Country / Sierra Leone
West Africa · Country law profile
Sierra Leone: women’s rights and civic space laws
At a glance
| Capital | Freetown |
|---|
Regional and international treaties
| Treaty | Status | Reservations or notes |
|---|---|---|
| Maputo Protocol | signed 09/12/2003; ratified 03/07/2015; deposited 30/10/2015 | |
| CEDAW | signed 21/09/1988; ratified 11/11/1988 | |
| CEDAW Optional Protocol | signed 08/09/2000; not ratified | |
| African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child | signed 14/04/1992; ratified 13/05/2002; deposited 18/06/2002 | |
| ICCPR | accession 23/08/1996 | |
| Kampala Convention | signed 23/10/2009; ratified 15/07/2010; deposited 08/10/2010 | |
| AU Convention on Cyber Security and Personal Data Protection (Malabo) | signed 29/01/2016; not ratified | |
| ILO C190 Violence and Harassment Convention | not ratified |
National laws
Gender-based and domestic violence
Domestic Violence Act, 2007
Criminalises domestic violence and sets out protection measures for victims. Domestic violence includes physical and sexual abuse. It also includes emotional abuse.
Source: unwomen.org
Gender-based and domestic violence
Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Act, 2022
Establishes the principle of gender equality and sets out measures to prevent and respond to gender-based violence, with stronger support services for survivors. A National Steering Committee monitors compliance by ministries and agencies.
Gaps: Limited institutional capacity and staffing constrain enforcement.
Source: unwomen.org
Rape and sexual offences
Sexual Offences Act, 2012, as amended by the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act, 2019
Provides the framework for rape, sexual assault, sexual exploitation and offences against children, and the 2019 amendment updated the definitions of offences. Sexual Offences Model Courts were set up to speed up trials.
Gaps: Survivors still face implementation challenges in gaining access to justice.
Source: unwomen.org
Sexual harassment
Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act, 2019, sections 3 and 37; Employment Act, 2023
The World Bank records legislation on sexual harassment in employment based on these provisions.
Source: wbl.worldbank.org
Female genital mutilation
No specific law prohibiting female genital mutilation
Sierra Leone has no legal prohibition of FGM. Agreements with Soweis (traditional practitioners) and chiefs have been used instead.
Gaps: The CEDAW Committee called for an explicit legal prohibition of FGM.
Source: ecoi.net
Child marriage and age of marriage
Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2024
Prohibits marriage of any person under 18, regardless of parental consent, with minimum prison terms of 15 years for violations.
Source: law.cornell.edu
Child marriage and age of marriage
Child Rights Act, 2007
Set the minimum age of marriage at 18 for both sexes.
Gaps: It conflicted with the Customary Marriage and Divorce Act, which allowed child marriage with parental consent, and a revised Child Rights Bill was pending.
Source: hrw.org
Family and personal status
Registration of Customary Marriage and Divorce Act, 2009
Sets the conditions for a valid customary marriage and its registration, including a minimum age of 18 for spouses.
Source: law.cornell.edu
Family and personal status
Constitution of Sierra Leone, section 27(4)(d)
Exempts adoption, marriage, divorce, burial and devolution of property from the constitutional ban on discrimination.
Gaps: The CEDAW Committee called for its repeal, since it undermines the 2007 gender laws.
Source: ecoi.net
Inheritance and succession
Devolution of Estates Act, 2007
The World Bank records equal inheritance rights for sons and daughters and for surviving spouses under sections 6 to 8.
Source: wbl.worldbank.org
Land and property
Customary Land Rights Act, 2022
Recognises and protects rights in land held under customary tenure, including the rights of women and other marginalised groups, and sets up mechanisms to resolve land disputes.
Gaps: Enforcement of women’s equal access to land remains a challenge.
Source: unwomen.org
Land and property
National Land Commission Act, 2022
Creates land administration bodies at national and district level and requires a minimum number of women on their committees.
Source: unwomen.org
Abortion and sexual and reproductive health
Abortion law dating from 1861 (life-saving exception only); Safe Motherhood bill pending
Abortion is banned unless the woman’s life is at risk. In July 2022 the President announced support for a bill allowing abortion after rape or incest and where the pregnancy endangers the woman’s health or life.
Gaps: A liberalising bill passed by Parliament in 2015 was not signed into law.
Source: reproductiverights.org
Girls’ education
Basic and Senior Secondary Education Act, 2023
Provides 13 years of free schooling, including one compulsory pre-primary year. It states that pregnant girls and parent learners shall be allowed to access school. They shall also be allowed to stay in and complete school.
Gaps: Families still pay unofficial fees and exam costs.
Source: hrw.org
Political participation and quotas
Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Act, 2022
Requires that 30 per cent of seats in public office be held by women. By July 2023 the number of women in Parliament had doubled to 41.
Source: ecoi.net
Political participation and quotas
Public Elections Act, 2022, section 58(2)
Requires that one in every three candidates nominated by a party be a woman.
Gaps: The national report recommends clearer placement of women on candidate lists.
Source: unwomen.org
Political participation and quotas
Chieftaincy Act, section 8(1)(b)
Allows women to be excluded as candidates for paramount chieftaincy where tradition bars them.
Gaps: The CEDAW Committee urged its repeal in 2014.
Source: ecoi.net
Labour and maternity
Employment Act, 2023
Extends maternity leave to 14 weeks on full pay and bans pregnancy testing of job applicants. It requires equal pay for equal work and also addresses violence and harassment at work.
Source: unwomen.org
Social protection
National Social Security and Insurance Trust Act
The World Bank records equal retirement ages for women and men under articles 39 and 40.
Source: wbl.worldbank.org
Nationality
Citizenship Act, sections 2, 5 and 7
Governs Sierra Leonean citizenship.
Gaps: The World Bank finds that women do not have the same rights as men to confer citizenship.
Source: wbl.worldbank.org
Trafficking
Anti-Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling Act, 2022
Establishes a national task force against trafficking and allocates funding. It also creates a trust fund for victims.
Source: law.cornell.edu
Access to justice and legal aid
Legal Aid Act, 2012
Provides for free legal aid, including for women who are victims of sexual violence.
Gaps: The CEDAW Committee noted in 2014 that resources for its implementation were insufficient.
Source: ecoi.net
Online violence and cybercrime
Cyber Security and Crime Act
Sierra Leone’s law on cybercrime and cyber security.
Gaps: Amnesty International reported its use in April 2023 to arrest a person who published a video criticising the government.
Source: ecoi.net
Being verified. RFLD is checking the laws on the following topics against official texts and will add them to this page: harmful practices, data protection, older persons, women and girls with disabilities, human rights defenders, same-sex relations. Corrections and documents are welcome at programs@rflgd.org.
African Union treaties
Status of 29 African Union treaties as recorded in the official AU status lists published by the African Union Commission. The date of each list is shown: a ratification deposited after that date may not appear yet. 6 of the 13 human rights and governance treaties below are ratified.
Other AU treaties (16)
Sources (13)
- au.int · 37077 sl PROTOCOL TO THE AFRICAN CHARTER ON HUMAN AND PEO…
- treaties.un.org · iv 8 b.en
- au.int · 36804 sl AFRICAN CHARTER ON THE RIGHTS AND WELFARE OF THE…
- treaties.un.org · IV 4.en
- au.int · 36846 sl AFRICAN UNION CONVENTION FOR THE PROTECTION AND …
- au.int · 29560 sl AFRICAN UNION CONVENTION ON CYBER SECURITY AND P…
- unwomen.org · Sierra Leone Beijing+30 national review report 2024
- wbl.worldbank.org · Women, Business and the Law 2024 (2.0) Sierra Leone profile
- ecoi.net · CEDAW concluding observations on Sierra Leone 2014 (CEDAW/C/SLE/CO/6)
- law.cornell.edu · Cornell LII Gender Justice: Sierra Leone
- hrw.org · HRW submission to CESCR on Sierra Leone, January 2024
- reproductiverights.org · Center for Reproductive Rights statement, July 2022
- ecoi.net · Amnesty International annual report, Sierra Leone 2023
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Information verified as of October 2026. This page is for information and advocacy and is not legal advice. Laws change: check the official text before relying on it. Part of the DƆNÙESÈ Data Center of the Women Leaders Network for Development (RFLD). See also the Maputo Protocol Hub and the Maputo Barometer.