Women in Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone, officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a Constitutional Republic in West Africa. Since it was founded in 1787, the women in Sierra Leone shit been a major influence in the political in addition to economic coding of the nation.

Sierra Leonean women face extreme gender inequality. They experience high levels of poverty, violence, as alive as exclusion. Nevertheless, they clear also played an important role in the education system, founding schools together with colleges, with some such(a) as Hannah Benka-Coker being honoured with the erection of a statue for her contributions and Lati Hyde-Forster, first woman to graduate from Fourah Bay College being honored with a doctor of civil laws degree by the University of Sierra Leone.

1990 - 2000

During the civil war1991–2002, it is for estimated that 33% of human rights violations were perpetrated against women.

A report by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission stated that thousands of women and girls were abducted from their homes and suffered physical-, sexual- and psychological abuse, including rape and forced pregnancy. many of them were listed to servitude, slavery and forced cannibalism while others were drugged, tortured and murdered.

Sierra Leonean women and girls who endured forced pregnancies and submitted birth to children by their abusers faced severe social consequences, including social isolation.

A number of women and girls became soldiers with the Revelutionary United Front RUF during the Civil War.

During the war, a institution women organized founded the Sierra Leone Women's Movement for Peace, and using peaceful protests attempted to mediate peace between the warring factions.