The Human Rights Commission of Sierra Leone (HRCSL) recently conducted mobile complaint hearings in Kenema and Port Loko districts, reaching 196 members of Key Populations (KPs). The initiative, which took place from November 3 to 5, 2026, was organised in collaboration with the National AIDS Secretariat (NAS) and World Vision International Sierra Leone (WVISL), with funding from the Global Fund. This effort aimed to provide a platform for vulnerable groups to report cases of stigmatisation, discrimination, abuse, and unequal treatment.
During the mobile complaint-hearing sessions, participants shared troubling accounts of mistreatment by community members, law enforcement personnel, and other authorities. Some alleged that they were frequently subjected to violence and exploitation by men who sought sexual services but later refused to pay them and resorted to physical assault. Others attributed their involvement in street-based activities to family rejection, abandonment, and exclusion from their communities.
The mobile complaint hearings included 126 women and 70 men, who reported experiencing various forms of abuse and mistreatment. HRCSL Oversight Commissioner for Complaints, Investigations and Legal Services, Hassan Samba Yarjah, apologised to vulnerable groups, particularly women who have experienced abuse, assault, discrimination, and stigmatisation. He reaffirmed the Commission's commitment to protecting the rights of all citizens and encouraged participants to report human rights violations through its confidential hotline.
The initiative also included monitoring visits to various facilities, including the Kenema Central Police Division, Kenema Government Hospital, Port Loko Correctional Centre, Lungi Government Hospital, and Port Loko Secondary School. During these visits, the delegation discovered three underage school-going boys detained in an overcrowded male cell alongside adult detainees. The team immediately engaged senior police officers, who removed the boys from the cell and transferred them to a facility described as an open detention facility.
Engagement with relevant authorities is continuing to secure bail for the boys so they can resume their education while investigations proceed. The programme also included radio discussions on Radio Bankasoka 97.5 FM in Port Loko and Star Line Radio 98.5 FM in Kenema to further raise public awareness about human rights and the Commission's services.
The Community Headman of Rotifuk, Lungi, Mr Bundu, commended the Commission and its partners for bringing the initiative to the community, describing the engagement as an important learning opportunity for vulnerable groups to understand their rights and responsibilities. Hassan Samba Yarjah emphasised that people must understand their rights before they can effectively claim them, noting that awareness of rights also comes with an understanding of individual responsibilities.
The mobile complaint hearing initiative forms part of HRCSL's mandate to investigate human rights violations and bring its services closer to communities, particularly vulnerable groups who face difficulties accessing the Commission's offices. The Commission's efforts aim to provide support and protection to those who need it most, and to promote a culture of human rights and dignity in Sierra Leone.
Key points
- The HRCSL reached 196 members of Key Populations through mobile complaint-hearing sessions in Kenema and Port Loko districts.
- The initiative aimed to address human rights violations, including stigmatisation, discrimination, abuse, and unequal treatment.
- The Commission's efforts included monitoring visits to various facilities and radio discussions to raise public awareness about human rights.
