HRCSL Engages Stakeholders on Climate Change and Human Rights

HRCSL Engages Stakeholders on Climate Change and Human Rights

The Human Rights Commission of Sierra Leone (HRCSL), supported by the Danish Institute for Human Rights, conducted a comprehensive community engagement in Kenema on Thursday, November 27, 2025. The session aimed to enhance awareness of the human rights implications of climate change and to popularize the findings of its latest national assessment report.

Held at the SLAJ Hall on Maada Bio Street, the full-day event convened traditional authorities, law enforcement representatives, civil society organizations, and community stakeholders. The discussions focused on the escalating threats climate change poses to the enjoyment of fundamental rights nationwide.

Vandi Saidu, Deputy Director of Regional Services-East, formally opened the engagement, emphasizing the Commission’s dedication to equipping districts with knowledge regarding climate-induced vulnerabilities. He urged participants to effectively utilize the insights gained on climate change.

Joseph Kamara, the Executive Secretary General of the HRCSL, stated that the engagement was designed to share the experience and findings of the report and solicit stakeholder input. "We are primarily here to share the report's insights, particularly its findings and potential recommendations, to inform the fight against climate change in the country," he stated. He added that the holistic report incorporated data collected across the country, covering every district and region, and was based on consultations with 434 citizens, including 126 women and 304 men.

Presenting key findings from the collected data on climate change disasters, Mr. Kamara highlighted a discovery that while partners working on climate change are active, vulnerable groups—including women, children, the elderly, and people living with disabilities—are sometimes overlooked.

Mr. Kamara called upon the people of the Eastern Region, and Sierra Leone at large, to treat climate change as a critical issue requiring serious attention. He implored individuals involved in the destruction of forest reserves and climate-vulnerable areas to cease continuous deforestation and commit to sustained afforestation efforts.

The core of the program comprised a series of technical presentations, starting with an overview of the HRCSL’s mandate and its expanding work on human rights and climate change. This was followed by a detailed introduction to the nexus between human rights and climate impacts, providing a foundational understanding of how extreme weather, environmental degradation, and resource pressures affect livelihoods and rights.

Participants were also given a comprehensive breakdown of the Commission’s Assessment Report on Climate Change Impacts on the Enjoyment of Human Rights 2024/2025. The report details major risks, affected populations, and key recommendations. Facilitators stressed that climate change is no longer purely an environmental issue but a direct human rights concern that impacts access to health, food, water, housing, and security.

The session proceeded with a thorough presentation of the assessment report findings, followed by group discussions where representatives shared local, lived experiences of climate impacts, such as flooding, deforestation, and unpredictable agricultural weather patterns.

Furthermore, the engagement included an essential briefing on Reporting Human Rights Violations and Abuse, during which the HRCSL Regional Officer outlined the Commission’s complaint-handling mechanisms and encouraged participants to proactively report violations linked to climate and environmental concerns.

Through this engagement, the HRCSL continues to reinforce district-level understanding of climate-related human rights challenges, simultaneously empowering stakeholders to take collective action to safeguard vulnerable communities.