By: Aminata Sesay
In a major push toward inclusive electoral reform, the Tripartite Secretariat has placed women and civil society organizations at the forefront of consultations to reshape Sierra Leone’s electoral system. As part of ongoing national engagement, the Secretariat held a strategic meeting with the Women’s Forum Sierra Leone on Wednesday at their headquarters on Dundas Street, Freetown.
“You are a crucial player,” emphasized Tripartite Coordinator Ngolo Katta as he addressed the Forum’s leadership. “We cannot proceed without your constituency, your energy, and your foresight.” He stressed that electoral reform is not just about revising laws and systems, but also about the political and social empowerment of women and girls.
Katta highlighted Recommendation 78 of the Tripartite Report, which calls for a review of Sierra Leone’s electoral systems. He noted that implementing this recommendation requires broad-based consultation an effort he urged the Women’s Forum to lead. “You raise the girls, you shape the values of society,” he said, encouraging the Forum to take ownership of the national dialogue now underway.
The Tripartite Secretariat has already convened three high-level technical meetings with electoral development partners and implemented several key recommendations, including a management review of the Electoral Commission for Sierra Leone (Recommendation 5). These efforts are part of a comprehensive reform agenda aimed at overhauling the country’s electoral framework ahead of the 2028 general elections.
Civil society organizations more broadly are also being integrated into the reform process. In a separate forum organized by the National Elections Watch (NEW), Mr. Katta addressed a national civil society dialogue, calling on CSOs to share their insights as the country deliberates between adopting a First-Past-the-Post (FPTP) or Proportional Representation (PR) system.
“The perspective of civil society is essential,” Katta stated, emphasizing that any final decision must reflect the will and aspirations of the people. He announced that civil society organizations would soon be tasked with drafting a formal position paper for submission to the Tripartite Steering Committee, chaired by the Chief Minister.
The consultation process is designed to be inclusive and nationwide, reaching everyone from petty traders to parliamentarians, teachers, youth groups, persons with disabilities, and private sector stakeholders. As Sierra Leone seeks to refine its democratic processes, it is the grassroots voices especially those of women and civil society that are shaping the country’s electoral future.