In fulfilment of its mandate under Section 7 (1) of the Human Rights Commission of Sierra Leone Act, 2004, the Human Rights Commission of Sierra Leone (HRCSL) continues to pay close attention to the human rights situation in places of detention—including correctional centres, police stations, and juvenile homes.
With support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), HRCSL embarked on a nationwide monitoring exercise of correctional facilities from 2nd to 24th September 2025, under the research initiative titled “Human Rights Behind Bars.” The objective was to obtain comprehensive data on the conditions, challenges, and human rights concerns affecting inmates across the country.
The monitoring covered 18 Correctional Centres across Sierra Leone’s five regions, assessing compliance with national laws, regional commitments, and international human rights standards.
Previous HRCSL monitoring visits have revealed persistent challenges, including overcrowding, inadequate bedding, poor medical facilities, limited access to education, and poor sanitation—all of which compromise inmates’ health, dignity, and rehabilitation, while breaching international norms governing the treatment of persons deprived of liberty.
This most recent exercise aimed not only to document these issues but also to analyse structural and systemic factors affecting correctional management, with a view to developing actionable recommendations for reform.
The findings and recommendations from the “Human Rights Behind Bars” project will be shared with relevant MDAs, the Parliamentary Committee on Human Rights, and development partners. The report will also serve as an advocacy tool to promote policy and institutional changes that enhance the protection of inmates’ rights and improve overall conditions within correctional facilities nationwide.