Following the chaos at the Sierra Leone Bar election this past weekend, there has been growing concerns about the declining capacity of the lawyer’s association to be an effective pressure group to hold Sierra Leone’s justice system to account. These concerns are coming at a time when, according to the most recent Afrobarometer (2022) data only 36% of Sierra Leone trust their courts… the worst statistics since 2012. Well, the problems with civil society and democratic space are way deeper than that!
Our report draws from a range of data sources to examine the nature of civic space and democratic freedoms in Sierra Leone. The aim is to understand the drivers of democratic closure and recommend actions to recreate an environment for healthy and honest dialogues around citizens’ welfare.
Leave A Comment