Sierra Leone: President Koroma receives 2012 Human Rights report
President Dr Ernest Bai Koroma on Tuesday 13th August called on the public to assist the police in going about their day-to-day functions as protectors of life and property.
President Koroma Receives 2012 Human Rights Report
He made this statement at State House during the presentation ceremony of the 2012 Human Rights Report by the Human Rights Commission of Sierra Leone (HRCSL) entitled the ‘State of Human Rights in Sierra Leone’.
President Koroma also noted that though there were challenges highlighted by the HRCSL in its 2012 report, government was happy that the Commission’s overall assessment of the human rights situation in the country was satisfactory taking into consideration the fact that the period under review was an election year.
“We are proud that we have maintained the pass mark, and have given the Human Rights Commission the space to operate to the extent that it has attained an ‘A’ status in its activities, and Sierra Leone has now gained membership at the United Nations Human Rights Council”, he confidently observed.
The Chief Executive urged the Sierra Leone Police to provide more training for the police as well as equip them with the right gears to help improve on their crowd control skills.
On Seditious Libel, President Koroma said the ongoing constitutional review will explore the opportunity to address some of the issues, while on the 30% quota for women, including other gender issues, he registered his government’s commitment to continue to give serious considerations to them.
He further maintained that he was a strong advocate of gender issues and that his presidency has given more promotions to women in governance and supported their cause more than any other government in the history of Sierra Leone.
On the Judiciary, the president also called on the Attorney General and Minister of Justice to speedily look into cases of prisoners in remand.
He disclosed that government has elaborate plans to improve on economic growth by strengthening and consolidating the prevailing conducive business environment to attract more investors to the country.
The Report catalogues the activities undertaken by the Commission in the protection and promotion of human rights of all in Sierra Leone in 2012, as well as the ways in which fundamental rights and freedoms in the Constitution and in the international and regional agreements to which Sierra Leone is a party, were observed or violated in the year under review.
“The general human rights situation in the country in 2012 was satisfactory, considering that it was an election year. The Commission commends the efforts of various institutions that ensured that the elections were free from violence”, said Rev. Moses B. Khanu, Chairman of the Human Rights Commission of Sierra Leone (HRCSL).
The presentation ceremony was attended by members of the HRCSL, including the Chairman and Commissioners, the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Social Welfare, Gender and Children’s Affairs, the State House Chief of Staff, and the Gender Advisor to President Koroma. – By State House Communications Unit
