By Hassan Gbassay Koroma
In a significant move towards strengthening human rights advocacy and protection in Sierra Leone, the Commonwealth Secretariat yesterday commenced a three-day capacity strengthening training for the Human Rights Commission of Sierra Leone and the Parliamentary Committee on Human Right.
The workshop was as a result of a request for technical assistance from the Sierra Leone Parliamentary Committee on Human Rights and the Human Rights Commission of Sierra Leone, with specific focus on areas including migration, human trafficking, business and human rights, climate change, treaty body reporting and monitoring, advocacy for the realisation of the sustainable development goals and the engagement of women and girls with disabilities on their rights and responsibilities.
The workshop which was held at the Hub Hotel in Freetown brought together 45 participants including 30 from the HRCSL and 15 from the Districts Human Rights Committee members respectively.
The expected outcome of the workshop is to enhance understanding of the application of human rights principles, and enhance appreciation of the role of parliament and national human rights institutions in the protection and promotion of human rights.
It also aimed to enhance understanding of effective strategic approaches to critical human rights issues affecting Sierra Leone and good practices, related to National Human Rights Commissions and Parliamentarians, and strengthen capacity to effectively engage on, and conduct public advocacy around key human rights issues impacting Sierra Leone.
Speaking at the opening session, the Chairperson of the Human Rights Commission of Sierra Leone, Patricia Narsu Ndanema, said the training was very important and its overall goal was to improve the capacity of HRCSL Commissioners and staff to deliver on its mandate.
She said they have benefited from other Commonwealth capacity trainings and that they remain grateful for the Commonwealth’s dedication to empower them with the knowledge and skills needed to address the dynamic challenges they face in terms of human rights promotion and protection.
“This three-day training session has five strategic objectives- to engage HRCSL Commissioners on strategic approaches in terms of strengthening the HRCSIL’s engagement on critical human rights in Sierra Leone in line with best practices and the 2022 recommendations proffered by the GANHRI SCA ,enhance the understanding of HRCSL Commissioners and staff on key human rights aspects and fundamental principles related to critical human rights issues in Sierra Leone and best practices for National Human Rights Institutions,” she highlighted.
She further noted that the training was also to enhance the capacity of the HRCSL on the drafting and submission of alternative reports to the UN Human Rights Mechanisms with the latest submission being the one to the Child Rights Committee in 2025 and strengthen the capacity of members of the Parliamentary Committee on Hunan Rights to effectively and strategically engage with the HRCSL on critical human rights issues impacting Sierra Leone.
“This training therefore comes at a pivotal time, as we navigate the complexities of the mentioned emerging human rights issues. This training is also a new space created for us to learn and share experiences, which implies that your active participation is very crucial. Each and every one of you here have clear roles to perform in human rights promotion and protection,” she emphasised .
Adviser, Human Right Unit at the Commonwealth Secretariat, Phamlani Dlamini, said one of the greatest strength of the commonwealth secretariat is its ability to foster cooperation amongst member states and leverages resources and expertise to assist through technical assistance and capacity development for the promotion and participation of human rights at national level.
He highlighted that in the past few decades, their commitment to national human rights institutions in the commonwealth has deepened in line with the global recognition that the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (‘GANHRI’)is a key element of effective national human rights protection system.
He said the GANHRI is a bridge between international standards and national context, as well as between government and civil society.
He added that through their respective mandate, the GANHRI creates a culture of human rights and also provides essential institutional oversight and address of victims of human rights violations.
He underscored that effective institutions and mechanism for the promotion and protection of human rights is one of the immediate outcomes of the Commonwealth Secretariat strategy plans. Within the scope of that outcome, he said the human rights unit of the secretariat provides technical assistance for the establishment and strengthening of various principles that are in compliance with the GANHRI in the Commonwealth.
“The global alliance of national human right institutions, has granted this status to your commission for the important role the commission has been playing for the past 14 years for the people of Sierra Leone. This is an impressive record and we look forward to leaning from many of the good practices that have been identified over the years including your cooperation with civil society’s organizations through the district human rights committees,” he said.
He emphasised that the three-day workshop was to develop Sierra Leone Human Rights Commission capacity to implement its mandate effectively for the benefit of the people of Sierra Leone and to also provide an opportunity for the commission to reflect on the challenges and opportunities as well as ways to continue to sustain the fight of human rights in the country.
