Attachments
This programme in the Mano River Region aimed to contrib-ute to building an inclusive society in which women and girls live in dignity, free from sexualised and gender-based vio-lence (SGBV) and discrimination. Carried out between No-vember 2021 and December 2024 with six implementing partners in Liberia and Sierra Leone, the programme sought to build commitment and capacity of community, state and inter-state actors to develop and sustain adequate sexualised and gender-based violence prevention and response frame-works, supported by a strengthened regional network of fem-inist civil society actors. The programme was funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and De-velopment (BMZ). An evaluation of the programme was car-ried out by Impel Consultancy in the summer of 2024. In ad-dition to accountability, the evaluation aims to identify lessons learned and assess the feasibility of future work in the region.
PROGRAMME CONTEXT
Both Liberia and Sierra Leone were involved in protracted and intertwined civil wars from 1989 to 2003 and 1991 to 2002, respectively. These wars were marked by the mutual support of rebel groups across borders, and armed groups operated transnationally. War crimes in both countries in-cluded organised and systematic rape, sexualised torture and enslavement, and forced recruitment of child soldiers.
In subsequent decades, while both countries have advanced legislation regarding sexualised and gender-based violence and have heightened their attention to the issue, multiple challenges remain. These include persistent gender dispar-ities in education and employment, limited access to sexual and reproductive health rights and services, limited access to justice for survivors, and the continuation of harmful practices such as female genital cutting.