By Dadson A. Musa

Human rights issues are issues that pertain to the well-being of people, especially the vulnerable. It enhances civility, peaceful coexistence and a fair and just society anywhere in the world. The rights of people flourish, especially in a democratic dispensation like we have in Sierra Leone. One of the reasons we fought a bloody civil war was the gross human right abuses that ravaged our country, especially with the one-party state that was declared in our country. There were no dissenting voices, and rights, liberties and freedoms were suppressed. Then, from children to women and to the poor and minority groups in our country, people were never given the chance to live their lives to the full. The war itself, being the cause of lack of the enjoyment of human rights, took a ghastly dimension where women were raped, and child labour was the order of the war. Universal basic rights before and during the war were never respected and observed in Sierra Leone and it was a serious cause for concern which was why Sierra Leone was not viewed with respect and accepted by the international community; so, certain privileges were taken from us as Sierra Leone was tainted by human rights abuses. Back in the 80s and 90s, we have seen summary executions, kangaroo courts, extra-judicial killings which stifled the growth and development of our country. Women and girls were discriminated against and children were denied basic rights.

With the signing of the Lome Peace Accord in 1999, after so much killing, maiming, burning of houses and other property, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) was formed. At the recommendation of the TRC, the Human Right Commission Sierra Leone was formed by an Act of Parliament in 2004. Its main function was to protect and promote human rights throughout Sierra Leone. The Human Right Commission became operational in 2007 and among its mandates were: monitoring elections, engaging with international bodies, promoting the rights of vulnerable groups, effective complaints handling, training and education on human rights issues, protection against discrimination, institutional capacity development and making sure public officials meet their obligations to protect human rights and ensure access to justice. Its work is reviewed periodically to ascertain if we are on the right track The Human Right Commission adheres to the UN Paris principles which gives it international clout and acceptance. With the Human Right Commission’s work in full gear, so much has changed positively regarding the rights of citizens in Sierra Leone. Complaints are now looked into, inmates in correctional centers are no longer treated as sub-humans, accused persons be it criminal, felony, treason etc, now enjoy full rights which has brought a human face to the country’s justice system.

We are not there yet but so much has been achieved and glaring improvements are seen in the way citizens are treated now. It gets our democracy to a better footing and ensures a peaceful coexistence among citizens. Our reputation as a democratic country has been burnished due to the improvements in our human rights record as a country. Patricia Naasu Ndanema, head of the Human Right Commission in Sierra Leone looks proudly at the record and asserted that “when it comes to human rights, we know no tribe, no region, no political party and we follow the law with a human face.”  She has gone about her work diligently with support from UNDP and other international partners. And government over the years has given unwavering support to the Human Right Commission to the point of increasing budgetary support. Political tensions have died down a bit with the intervention of the Human Rights Commission in Sierra Leone. “The work of my commission can only go on effectively because we are complying with national and international laws,” Patricia Naasu Ndanema went on.  And she cautions that it does not mean people should be lawless in exercise of their rights and liberties. Labour laws are now being looked into and workers are not just paid pittance and dismissed without regard to their rights. With all of these developments, a senior citizen on condition of anonymity cautioned that it is not all fairytale as “more still need to done to keep a fine balance, especially when it comes to politics.”