United Nations Population Fund

UNFPA Sierra Leone

Despite recent civil conflict, Sierra Leone has significantly reduced its maternal mortality rate. Teenage pregnancy continues to be an issue, however, accounting for a high portion of maternal deaths. Active in the country since 1971, UNFPA supports ongoing improvements in sexual and reproductive health services, through midwifery programmes, better emergency obstetric and newborn care, and the effective management of reproductive health commodities. It helps services respond to gender-based violence and reach marginalized adolescents and youth, and also assists in developing national capacities to collect and analyse demographic data.

Key Results Download PDF

Key results of Sierra Leone in 2019

Sexual and reproductive health in emergency preparedness plans

Sexual and reproductive health was integrated into emergency preparedness plans

Logistics management information system

A logistics management information system was used for forecasting and monitoring sexual and reproductive health commodities

Out-of-school comprehensive sexuality education

A national mechanism or strategy was in place to deliver out-of-school comprehensive sexuality education in accordance with international standards

Men and boys

A national mechanism was in place to engage men and boys in national policies and programmes

Data on gender-based violence

National systems were in place to collect and disseminate data on the incidence of gender-based violence

National plans against harmful practices

A costed national action plan to address harmful practices was developed

Fistula treatment

480 Fistula repair surgeries provided with the support of UNFPA

Life skills programmes for girls

14840 Marginalized girls were reached with health, social and economic asset-building programmes

Advocacy platforms against harmful social norms

120 Communities developed advocacy platforms to eliminate discriminatory gender and sociocultural norms which affect women and girls

Child, early and forced marriage

8532 Girls received, with support from UNFPA, prevention, protection services, and/or care related to child, early, and forced marriage

Community declarations on harmful practices

232 Communities made public declarations to eliminate harmful practices, with support from UNFPA, including child, early and forced marriage and female genital mutilation

Sexual and reproductive health in emergency preparedness plans

Sexual and reproductive health was integrated into emergency preparedness plans

Logistics management information system

A logistics management information system was used for forecasting and monitoring sexual and reproductive health commodities

Out-of-school comprehensive sexuality education

A national mechanism or strategy was in place to deliver out-of-school comprehensive sexuality education in accordance with international standards

Men and boys

A national mechanism was in place to engage men and boys in national policies and programmes

Data on gender-based violence

National systems were in place to collect and disseminate data on the incidence of gender-based violence

National plans against harmful practices

A costed national action plan to address harmful practices was developed

Fistula treatment

480 Fistula repair surgeries provided with the support of UNFPA

Life skills programmes for girls

14840 Marginalized girls were reached with health, social and economic asset-building programmes

Advocacy platforms against harmful social norms

120 Communities developed advocacy platforms to eliminate discriminatory gender and sociocultural norms which affect women and girls

Child, early and forced marriage

8532 Girls received, with support from UNFPA, prevention, protection services, and/or care related to child, early, and forced marriage

Community declarations on harmful practices

232 Communities made public declarations to eliminate harmful practices, with support from UNFPA, including child, early and forced marriage and female genital mutilation

Programme Activities

Integrated sexual and reproductive health services
Adolescents and youth
Gender equality
Evidence-based policymaking
Organizational effectiveness

Integrated sexual and reproductive health services
Adolescents and youth
Gender equality
Evidence-based policymaking
Organizational effectiveness

Integrated sexual and reproductive health services
Adolescents and youth
Gender equality
Evidence-based policymaking
Organizational effectiveness

Integrated sexual and reproductive health services
Adolescents and youth
Gender equality
Organizational effectiveness
Analysis on population dynamics

Integrated sexual and reproductive health services
Adolescents and youth
Gender equality
Analysis on population dynamics

Integrated sexual and reproductive health services
Adolescents and youth
Gender equality
Analysis on population dynamics

Sierra Leone 2019 Programme Activities data

Integrated sexual and reproductive health services

Increased availability and use of integrated sexual and reproductive health services (including family planning, maternal health and HIV) that are gender-responsive and meet human rights standards for quality of care and equity in access

Total Spending:

$6,502,122

Implemented by:

UNFPA $3,964,141 (61%)
NGO $1,522,752 (23%)
GOV $1,015,229 (16%)

Funded by:

Core Resources (13)
Non-core Resources (87)

Integrated sexual and reproductive health services

Increased national capacity to deliver integrated sexual and reproductive health services

Total Spending:

$4174783

Implemented by:

UNFPA $2152555 (52%)
NGO $1409227 (34%)
GOV $613000 (15%)

Funded by:

Core Resources (17%)
Non-core Resources (83%)

Sexual and reproductive health Policies

Increased national capacity to deliver integrated sexual and reproductive health policies

Total Spending:

$253666

Implemented by:

UNFPA $249958 (99%)
GOV $3708 (1%)

Funded by:

Non-core Resources (100%)

Health workforce capacity

Increased national capacity to deliver health workforce capacity

Total Spending:

$432874

Implemented by:

UNFPA $20012 (5%)
NGO $113525 (26%)
GOV $299337 (69%)

Funded by:

Core Resources (3%)
Non-core Resources (97%)

Supply chain management

Increased national capacity to deliver supply chain management

Total Spending:

$1640799

Implemented by:

UNFPA $1541615 (94%)
GOV $99184 (6%)

Funded by:

Core Resources (4%)
Non-core Resources (96%)

Adolescents and youth

Increased priority on adolescents, especially on very young adolescent girls, in national development policies and programmes, particularly increased availability of comprehensive sexuality education and sexual and reproductive health

Total Spending:

$735,685

Implemented by:

UNFPA $479,754 (65%)
NGO $26,813 (4%)
GOV $229,118 (31%)

Funded by:

Core Resources (26)
Non-core Resources (74)

Adolescents and youth skills and capabilities

Increased national capacity to conduct evidence-based advocacy for incorporating adolescents and youth skills and capabilites

Total Spending:

$546345

Implemented by:

UNFPA $357616 (65%)
NGO $26813 (5%)
GOV $161917 (30%)

Funded by:

Core Resources (0%)
Non-core Resources (100%)

Youth leadership and participation

Increased national capacity to design and implement community and school based comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) programmes that promote human rights and gender equality

Total Spending:

$182978

Implemented by:

UNFPA $122138 (67%)
GOV $60841 (33%)

Funded by:

Core Resources (100%)
Non-core Resources (0%)

Adolescents and youth

Increased national capacity to conduct evidence-based advocacy for incorporating adolescents and youth and their human rights/needs in national laws, policies, programmes, including in humanitarian settings

Total Spending:

$6361

Implemented by:

GOV $6361 (100%)

Funded by:

Core Resources (100%)

Gender equality

Advanced gender equality, women’s and girls’ empowerment, and reproductive rights, including for the most vulnerable and marginalized women, adolescents and youth

Total Spending:

$550,037

Implemented by:

UNFPA $89,409 (16%)
NGO $321,713 (58%)
GOV $138,915 (25%)

Funded by:

Core Resources (25)
Non-core Resources (75)

Ending harmful practices

Increased capacity to prevent gender-based violence and harmful practices and enable the delivery of multisectoral services, including in humanitarian settings

Total Spending:

$227706

Implemented by:

UNFPA $27145 (12%)
NGO $158857 (70%)
GOV $41704 (18%)

Funded by:

Core Resources (0%)
Non-core Resources (100%)

Protection rights

Strengthened international and national protection systems for advancing reproductive rights, promoting gender equality and non-discrimination and addressing gender-based violence

Total Spending:

$241418

Implemented by:

UNFPA $52592 (22%)
NGO $126949 (53%)
GOV $61877 (26%)

Funded by:

Core Resources (46%)
Non-core Resources (54%)

Gender and sociocultural norms

Strengthened engagement of civil society organizations to promote reproductive rights and women's empowerment, and address discrimination

Total Spending:

$63563

Implemented by:

NGO $35009 (55%)
GOV $28554 (45%)

Funded by:

Core Resources (13%)
Non-core Resources (87%)

Gender equality laws and policies

Strengthened engagement for promoting gender equality and non-discrimination and addressing gender-based violence

Total Spending:

$17351

Implemented by:

UNFPA $9672 (56%)
NGO $899 (5%)
GOV $6780 (39%)

Funded by:

Core Resources (95%)
Non-core Resources (5%)

Analysis on population dynamics

development, sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights, HIV and gender equality

Total Spending:

$903,593

Implemented by:

UNFPA $181,262 (20%)
GOV $722,330 (80%)

Funded by:

Core Resources (39)
Non-core Resources (61)

Demographic intelligence

Strengthened national capacity for production and dissemination of quality disaggregated data on population and development issues that allows for mapping of demographic disparities

Total Spending:

$87722

Implemented by:

UNFPA $87722 (100%)

Funded by:

Core Resources (100%)
Non-core Resources (0%)

National population data system

Strengthened national capacity for production and dissemination of quality disaggregated data on population and development issues that allows for mapping of demographic

Total Spending:

$815871

Implemented by:

UNFPA $93540 (11%)
GOV $722330 (89%)

Funded by:

Core Resources (32%)
Non-core Resources (68%)

Dashboards available for Sierra Leone

Programme Documentation

CPD Sierra Leone [2020-2023] (DP/FPA/CPD/SLE/7)

Cycle: 2020-2023

CPD Sierra Leone [2015-2019] (DP/FPA/CPD/SLE/6)

Cycle: 2015-2019

CPD Sierra Leone [2013-2014] (DP/FPA/CPD/SLE/5)

Cycle: 2013-2014

CPE Sierra Leone [2011-2012] (DP/FPA/2010/21)

Cycle: 2011-2012

CPD Sierra Leone [2008-2010] (DP/FPA/CPD/SLE/4)

Cycle: 2008-2010

CPAP Sierra Leone [2013-2014]

Cycle: 2013-2014

Audit of the UNFPA Country Office in Sierra Leone

Issue date: 29 October 2018

Technical notes and sources

The results featured here are only a selection of key results in line with strategic plan 2014-17 indicators. The selection does not reflect the full picture of all results achieved during the strategic plan cycle by UNFPA programme countries.
The source of data for most country level indicators is the UNFPA country annual reports for 2014-2017, unless stated otherwise
Results featured are cumulative - i.e., achieved between the 2014 and 2017 timeframe, and reflect the net situation, true as of the year selected
Majority of the results are captured from 127 UNFPA programme countries
Indicators that are marked ‘not achieved’ could imply any of the following conditions:
- The country may have achieved the result without the support of UNFPA
- The country has not targeted the given indicator during the 2014-2017 period
- UNFPA is supporting this area of work, but the result has not yet been achieved

Notes for key results

Maternal deaths averted: Results reflected for 46 UNFPA Supplies programme countries
Unintended pregnancies averted: Results reflected for 46 UNFPA Supplies programme countries
Unsafe abortions averted: Results reflected for 46 UNFPA Supplies programme countries
Number of countries that developed midwifery workforce policies based on international standards: Baseline data not available
Number of fistula repair surgeries supported: Baseline data not available
Number of countries that implemented at least 8 out of the UNFPA 10-step strategic-approach to comprehensive condom programming: Results achieved in 2014-2016 only
Number of countries that have capacity to implement the Minimum Initial Service Package at the onset of a crisis: UNFPA reflected non-cumulative figures for this indicator; the Minimum Initial Service Package (MISP) is a series of crucial actions required to respond to reproductive health needs at the onset of every humanitarian crisis. View here for more information on MISP
Percentage of countries affected by humanitarian crises that have functioning inter-agency gender-based violence coordination body as a result of UNFPA guidance and leadership: Baseline data not available
Number of countries that established comprehensive plan to report on UNFPA-supported Sustainable Development Goal indicators: Results achieved in 2017 only; baseline data not available
Number of countries that established online national population data platforms that are publicly accessible by users: : Results achieved in 2017 only; baseline data not available
Number of countries in which the capacity of national statistical authorities was developed to analyse and use disaggregated data on adolescent and youth: Baseline data not available; UNFPA reflected non-cumulative figures for this indicator
Number of countries that generated and used sub-national estimates of population, health and social data: Baseline data not available

The designations employed and the presentation of material on the map do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of UNFPA concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. The dotted line represents approximately the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir agreed upon by India and Pakistan. The final status of Jammu and Kashmir has not yet been agreed upon by the parties.