Sierra Leone

While Sierra Leone has held regular multiparty elections since the 2002 end of its civil war, opposition parties face police violence and crackdowns on assembly. Corruption is a pervasive problem. It is in this context that IRI is supporting Sierra Leone’s democratic transition.

IRI has conducted three public opinion polls to delve into citizens’ priorities pertaining to effective governance, service delivery, the impact of COVID-19 on households, and the economy.

IRI helps its partners in Sierra Leone create platforms for citizens to interact with their elected officials. IRI and its partners provide training to help government officials and their staffs respond citizens’ concerns by offering workshops to support councilors, members of parliament, and other elected officials to understand their roles and responsibilities around decentralization in Sierra Leone. During the 2018 electoral cycle, IRI supported civil society organizations (CSOs) working to ensure free and fair elections, encourage inclusive engagement, and support the professionalization of Sierra Leone’s press corps.

Working with its partners, IRI is training media organizations and journalists in solid investigative reporting techniques focusing on good governance, election coverage, COVID-19, and the judiciary. IRI also works with its partners to train journalists on using the Right to Access Information Act for news stories.

With its partners, IRI is building tolerance among different ethnic groups using violence prevention programming. IRI partners work with citizens, youth, and local authorities to help mitigate violence in potential hotspots across Sierra Leone. This is vital work, as communities are provided an opportunity to develop constructive solutions addressing key grievances.