Protecting rights. Empowering women and girls.
Building safe, inclusive communities where every person’s dignity is protected
The Challenge
Despite legal protections and growing awareness, women and girls in Sierra Leone continue to face significant inequality and violence. Gender-based violence including domestic violence, sexual assault, and harmful traditional practices remains widespread. Child marriage and teenage pregnancy cut short the education and life opportunities of thousands of girls each year.
Women remain underrepresented in leadership and decision-making, and unequal access to land, credit, and economic opportunity keeps many women dependent and vulnerable. Children, in particular, face risks of abuse, exploitation, and neglect often hidden from formal protection systems. These challenges are compounded for girls with disabilities, girls out of school, and girls in remote communities.
Gender Equality & Protection
CEDI promotes gender equality and protects the rights of women, girls, and children in Sierra Leone through awareness, dialogue, and referral pathways.
CEDI works to promote gender equality and protect the rights and dignity of women, girls, and children. Our programmes combine awareness-raising, community dialogue, leadership development, and referral pathways engaging men, boys, families, traditional leaders, and institutions as allies in change.
Our key activities include:
- Gender equality programmes
- Women's leadership development
- Gender-based violence prevention
- Child protection and safeguarding
- Human rights and legal awareness
- Community dialogue on harmful social norms
- Referral and support mechanisms for survivors
- Advocacy for policy and institutional change
We take a survivor-centred, rights-based approach and work in close coordination with formal protection systems and community structures. Where harmful practices persist, we engage community leaders and families directly because lasting change requires local ownership, not external imposition.
- Women and girls
- Children and adolescents
- Survivors of gender-based violence
- At-risk children, including orphans and vulnerable children
- Female-headed households
- Marginalized and disadvantaged groups
By the end of each programme cycle, we expect to see:
- Increased awareness of rights, laws, and protection mechanisms
- Reduced tolerance of gender-based violence in target communities
- Strengthened women's participation in community decision-making
- Improved reporting and referral of protection cases
- Stronger child safeguarding practices in schools, communities, and institutions
- Increased access to support services for survivors
- Positive shifts in community attitudes toward gender equality and child protection
Read our safeguarding Policy
Join us for a better life and beautiful future
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