Over the past two decades, rapid changes in land use due to demographic factors, social and political insecurity, and the impact of climate change have made governance and natural resource management more difficult for many African countries, affecting their food security.
Sierra Leone
The Government of Sierra Leone has made considerable progress in the land sector in the past 10 years, partially as result of a successful application of the VGGT principles in different reform processes supported by the Government and CSOs. Starting from the adoption of the National Land Policy in 2015, a progressive Customary Land Rights Act and a Land Commission Act have been promulgated by the Parliament in August 2022, as well as the Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Act (GEWE) signed by the president in January 2023. All these instruments represent a milestone in the advancement of securing tenure rights for the most vulnerable and a significant step towards the realization of women’s land rights in the law. At the same time, the implementation of such laws requires the definition of clear roadmaps and implementation plans.
The project strives to improve local land governance by reinforcing and capacitating local institutions which play a crucial role in the implementation of the legislative framework, paying particular attention to the role of women and youth, promoting multistakeholder local dialogue on responsible governance, addressing in particular local government institutions, but also traditional leaders, bringing closer to the rural communities and more transparent the changes in act as result of new policies and laws.
The project also aims to increase the capacity of national actors to define land reform targets (national roadmaps), indicators and agree on long term monitoring mechanisms, in line with the VGGT principles, with the ultimate objective of increasing accountability.
Land and human rights assessment
Related publications
The Voluntary Guidelines: Securing our rights - Sierra Leone - Success Stories
2019
The Guidelines address problems of weak governance of tenure and the growing pressure on natural resources, thereby assisting countries to achieve food security for all. FAO has been working in more than 58 countries providing technical assistance, training and capacity development, as well as support to the assessment, formulation and implementation of the relevant national policies and laws. In 2013/2014, the Guidelines were introduced in Sierra Leone, Liberia, Nepal and Mongolia.
A good practice on the Implementation of the Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure A multi-actor and multi-sector approach in Sierra Leone
2016
The Implementation of the Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure in Sierra Leone has provided the opportunity to draw lessons and good practices in the country. These lessons are shared with other countries wishing to learn from successful experiences in the use of the Voluntary Guidelines to improve responsible governance of tenure.
Related news
Sierra Leone embraces a human rights based approach to land governance assessment
10/04/2024
In Sierra Leone the VGGT principles have guided the development of the National Land Policy and more recently the new Customary Land Act and Land Commission Act. The roadmap defined by the government, and the network of CSOs that together drive the land reform in the country, continues now with a new important step: a human rights-based land governance assessment.
Working together for responsible and inclusive land governance
28/11/2025
In Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Colombia, MSPs are demonstrating how governments, civil society, and communities can work together to turn the VGGT into concrete progress. Supported by the FAO and guided by the partnership expertise of The Partnering Initiative (TPI), these platforms have become essential mechanisms for building trust, improving policy, and driving local action.
Related videos
Related articles
Sierra Leone Members of Parliament discuss land rights
22/10/2020
Members of Parliament (MPs) of the Committees on Human Rights and the Legislative Branch attended a workshop on 21 October 2020 in Freetown. This event...
Promoting inclusivity for improved local tenure governance in Sierra Leone and Mauritania
13/12/2023
The focus will be on promoting a more inclusive and gender responsive local land governance and accountability mechanisms, through the strengthening...
Related links
- National Land Policy, 2015
- Customary Land Rights Act, 2022
- National Land Commission Act, 2022
- The Gender Equality and women’s empowerment law, 2022
With the support of
Contact
For more information, please contact:
Francesca Romano
Project Coordinator
[email protected]