UN Agencies Weekly Highlights - July 7 -July 11

RCO

EU- UN €15 million Spotlight Initiative to end violence against women and girls launched. 
The Government of Sierra Leone has officially launched the Spotlight Initiative—a bold, multi-year global partnership between the European Union (EU) and the United Nations (UN)—to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls (VAWG). The launch held at the New Brookfields Hotel in Freetown on Tuesday July 8th united government ministries,
including the Chief Minister, the Minister of Gender and Children's Affairs and the Minister of Health; the European Union; UN agencies, representatives from the global Spotlight Initiative; the Rainbo Initiative; civil society organisations; traditional leaders; parliamentarians; the justice sector; and key development partners to address this scourge in our society.

This launch builds on a landmark €15 million financing agreement signed on 11 April 2024 by Minister of Finance Sheku Ahmed Fantamadi Bangura and the European Union. This pivotal partnership represents a shared commitment to intensify national efforts in combating sexual and gender-based violence through coordinated funding, technical support, and sustained political will.
Violence against women and girls remains deeply entrenched in Sierra Leone. An estimated 62 percent of women aged 15–49 have experienced physical and/or sexual violence, according to the Sierra Leone Demographic and Health Survey (SLDHS) 2019. Harmful traditional practices—such as female genital mutilation (FGM) and child marriage—along with intimate partner violence, continue to threaten the safety, dignity, and economic empowerment of women and girls across the country. By adopting this proven framework, Sierra Leone aims to accelerate progress towards Sustainable Development Goal 5—achieving gender equality—and to create lasting, transformative change for generations to come.

UNDP

UNDP, partners launch skills training programme with guaranteed jobs for 100 youth.
In a bold effort to tackle youth unemployment and strengthen technical capacity in Sierra Leone, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in partnership with the National Youth Commission and Sierra Tropical Ltd (a subsidiary of Dole Asia Holdings), has launched a transformative skills training programme for 100 young people in Bo District. The initiative provides hands-on, market-relevant training in machine operations, automobile repairs, welding, and fabrication, sectors critical to Sierra Leone’s industrial growth. A unique feature of the programme is its direct link to employment: all trainees who successfully complete the training will be offered jobs by Sierra Tropical Ltd. Speaking at the launch, UNDP Resident Representative, Frederick Ampiah, stated, “This initiative supports our commitment to youth employment and private sector development. By investing in employable skills, we help create an enabling environment where businesses thrive and young people secure sustainable livelihoods.”

Deputy Minister of Youth Affairs, Hon. Patrick Michaelson Gibrilla, noted, “This programme is a shining example of public-private collaboration for youth empowerment. It equips our young people with tools to succeed and contribute meaningfully to national development.” Kwame Wiafe, Managing Director of Sierra Tropical Ltd, reaffirmed the company’s commitment to youth development through skills training. “We are not just creating jobs ,we are building a skilled, empowered local workforce,” he said. The initiative signals a strong step forward in youth empowerment, inclusive growth, and private sector partnership for national development.

UNICEF 

UNICEF convenes national seminar to promote inclusive education 
UNICEF convened a National Seminar on Inclusive Education on Friday, 4 July 2025 to assess existing gaps, identify practices and define strategic actions that ensure all children, including the most marginalized, have access to quality learning. In collaboration with the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education (MBSSE), the seminar brought together government actors, civil society, development partners, and education stakeholders to accelerate progress toward a more inclusive, equitable education system in Sierra Leone. “Inclusive education is not a separate or parallel system; it is the foundation of an equitable, resilient education system that leaves no child behind,” said Liv Elin Indreiten, UNICEF Deputy Representative in Sierra Leone.

The seminar provided space for stakeholders to examine current challenges and systemic barriers to inclusive education; share successful models and innovations and map out priority actions to build a more inclusive education system that engages families, communities, and policy influencers. While Sierra Leone has made progress in ensuring equitable access to education through the Free Quality School Education programme and relevant policies such as the Radical Inclusion Policy and the Comprehensive School Safety Policy, many children—especially girls and children with disabilities—still face major barriers to learning. Ms Indreiten further used that opportunity to launch the Inclusive Education Strategy for Sierra Leone, along with a policy brief developed in partnership with the MBSSE and other stakeholders. These resources offer evidence-based guidance to strengthen inclusive planning, classroom practice, and community engagement.