Prominent lawyer and governance advocate Basita Michael has expressed deep concern over what she describes as a blatant disregard for Sierra Leone’s legal provisions on gender representation by both the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) and the Political Parties Regulation Commission (PPRC).
Reacting to the outcomes of the SLPP’s 14th National Delegates Conference held on July 30–31, 2025, Michael stated that the continued failure of the party to meet the mandated 30% quota for women in executive positions reflects a political culture where “laws are treated as optional and oversight bodies as ceremonial.”
She added that the silence of the PPRC tasked with enforcing compliance with the Political Parties Act amounts to an abdication of its core responsibilities.
Her remarks follow a press release by the Campaign for Good Governance (CGG), which, while commending the transparent conduct of the SLPP’s internal elections, criticized the party for falling short of legal gender representation benchmarks. Only two women were elected into national executive roles, Deputy Organizing Secretary and Treasurer falling significantly below the threshold outlined in Section 42 of the Political Parties Act.
The CGG emphasized that this failure undermines the progress made through critical legal reforms, including the Public Elections Act 2022 and the Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment (GEWE) Act 2022. It also reflects a long-standing gap in gender inclusion that dates back to recommendations made in the 2004 Truth and Reconciliation Commission Report.
“Despite years of advocacy, all political parties have failed to implement voluntary reforms to meet the minimum 30% representation for women,” CGG noted. The organization called for urgent internal policy changes within political parties, including revised nomination procedures that create space for women at all levels of leadership.
CGG stressed that gender inclusion is not just a legal requirement but a democratic necessity. “Sierra Leone cannot achieve sustainable development without the full participation of women in decision-making,” the release stated, adding that only through deliberate action can the country consolidate its democratic gains.
Both CGG and Basita Michael have urged political parties and regulatory bodies to move beyond lip service and demonstrate genuine commitment to gender equality by enforcing the provisions already enshrined in national law.
