By Mariama Bundu
The Human Rights Commission of Sierra Leone (HRCSL) and the Office of National Security (ONS) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on 10th March 2026 to improve cooperation on gender justice, human rights, and national security governance.
The agreement aligns with HRCSL’s mandate to work with partners to protect and promote human rights in Sierra Leone.
Under the MoU, the two institutions will collaborate on joint advocacy against sexual and gender-based violence, gender sensitivity training, information sharing, capacity building, and integrating human rights and gender perspectives into national security operations.
Speaking at the event, the Deputy National Security Coordinator, Dr. Ahmed A. Sannoh, emphasized that many of Sierra Leone’s past conflicts were linked to human rights violations and stressed the need for stronger collaboration between HRCSL and security institutions.
The Chairperson of HRCSL, Mrs. Patricia Narsu Ndanema, noted that past cooperation with ONS has already yielded positive results, including facilitating Commission visits to Yenga and conducting joint human rights awareness activities during elections.
The MoU sets a three-year framework for ongoing collaboration between HRCSL and ONS to strengthen human rights protection and gender justice in Sierra Leone.
