Sierra Leone’s Parliamentary Committee on Human Rights has concluded a two-day workshop focused on reforming the national juvenile justice system, advocating for a shift away from punitive detention toward rehabilitation, community integration, and dignity for children in conflict with the law.
The workshop, chaired by Hon. Dr. Unpha Sorie Koroma, wrapped up on Friday, October 23, 2026, at the Administrative Conference Building in Parliament. The sessions brought together key stakeholders, including representatives from UNICEF, the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR-WARO), the Sierra Leone Police, the Human Rights Commission of Sierra Leone, correctional services, civil society organizations, and Members of Parliament.
Addressing the participants, Deputy Clerk of Parliament Gilbert Bosco Nhabay highlighted persistent bottlenecks within the country’s juvenile justice architecture. He pointed to inadequate physical infrastructure, poor conditions in child-care facilities, and severe financial constraints as primary obstacles. Nhabay called for intensified parliamentary oversight to ensure that workshop resolutions translate into concrete improvements on the ground.
Echoing these concerns, participants raised critical issues regarding the treatment of children within the legal system.
Mouhamadou Sowe, representing the OHCHR West Africa Regional Office in Senegal, stressed that every child, whether a victim, witness, or alleged offender, must be treated with fairness and respect under international and national standards. He reaffirmed that detention should strictly be used as a measure of last resort and for the shortest possible duration, urging a pivot toward community-based alternatives and education.
Hon. Dr. Unpha Sorie Koroma urged institutions to move beyond dialogue and execute tangible commitments with strict deadlines and measurable results. He advocated for: Faster judicial proceedings and expanded legal assistance for youth.
Alternative sentencing options, such as community service, to alleviate facility overcrowding. And full operationalisation and implementation of the Child Rights Act, 2025.
Moderated by Parliament’s Principal Public Relations Officer, Sulaiman Bah, the two-day event focused on key reform areas, including child-friendly law enforcement procedures, gender-responsive justice, restorative justice frameworks, and Parliament’s budgetary responsibility.
The workshop concluded with steps to finalize a Child Justice Action Matrix, a framework designed to assign institutional accountability and establish follow-up mechanisms for monitoring facilities.
Stakeholders agreed that achieving an accessible and child-friendly justice system in Sierra Leone will require sustained cross-sector collaboration, increased budget allocations, and a broader cultural shift in how society views and supports vulnerable youth.