As at 2020, only 5.7% of women in Sierra Leone accessed the internet compared to 11.4% of males. In 2023, the ratio has not changed any much.
Although the government has put in place some national laws and strategies that promote and protect women’s rights online such as the Cyber security Act of 2021, Data Protection strategy of 2022, National ICT Policy of 2011 and the National Telecoms Act of 2006, these laws, policies and strategies are generic and lack specific provisions that directly address issues about women’s online rights.
This advocacy paper on policy gaps and recommendations for women’s rights online in Sierra Leone highlights the gaps in policies for women rights in Sierra Leone and makes recommendations to various stakeholders on how to make country’s ICT related policies more gender-responsive.
Kindly click here to read the advocacy paper