Sierra Leone: Making land policies work in the interest of vulnerable groups

Until now, traditional leaders and investors have made important decisions over the heads of land users and women while they have suffered injustices such as restrictions on their traditional land use. It was high time to redress this power imbalance.

Widespread land disputes

The Paramount Chiefs are powerful traditional leaders who have benefited from land transactions and have long opposed changes in decision-making processes. The interests of women and other vulnerable groups were often ignored in transactions. Their land ownership and, their Right to Food were subject to the whims of powerful interests.