By Kadijatu Bangura | Daily Scope Newspaper
Attorney General and Minister of Justice Alpha Sesay Esq. on Tuesday called for stronger coordination across Sierra Leone’s sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) response system, warning that any breakdown in the justice chain risks failing survivors and weakening public trust.
Sesay spoke during a stakeholder meeting convened to review findings from the National Technical Monitoring Visit to One-Stop and Rainbo Centres nationwide. The June 23 engagement brought together police, health, social welfare, and legal actors to assess service delivery and map reforms.
He described the report as critical data that moves “beyond assumptions” on the realities survivors face. “Access to justice must be a continuous process — from the moment a survivor reports, through investigation, medical care, psychosocial support, legal review, prosecution, and adjudication,” Sesay said. “Any break in that chain compromises outcomes.”
The Minister urged participants to prioritize practical, achievable reforms that can be implemented within existing institutions, rather than only cataloguing challenges. He commended the Rainbo Initiative for its leadership in victim support and pledged closer partnership to address gaps identified in the review.
“Our ultimate goal remains a Sierra Leone where survivors are protected, offenders are held accountable, and justice is accessible to all,” he stated.
The engagement forms part of the Ministry of Justice’s drive to tighten inter-agency coordination and improve protections for women, girls, children, and other vulnerable groups.
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