All Commitments made by Sierra Leone Ministry of Social Welfare, Gender and Children’s Affairs

Stereotypes, attitudes and behaviours
In consultation with organizations of persons with disability, including under-represented groups such as women with disabilities, take concrete steps to provide basic services to persons living with disability and to implement the provisions of the Disability Act that was enacted by parliament.

Timeframe and/or implementation plan

• By the end of this year collaborate with the ministry of information and communications and the Sierra Leone association of journalists and disabled persons organizations to identify media houses both print and electronics media to carry out popularization exercise
• By 2019 develop framework and harmonize anti stigma and discriminatory messages to be rolled out

Capacity building: teachers and staff

• Provide free quality education for children with disabilities and put measures in place to facilitate their access and learning 
• Collaborate with Ministry of Education and other partners in investing in inclusive education through training of teachers and provision of assistive devices
• Supporting the welfare and promoting the safeguarding needs of children with disabilities including those with special educational needs.

Timeframe and/or implementation plan

• By 2019 to have developed and roll out consultative and collaborative framework with partners and relevant ministries. In respect of the quality, inclusive and free education for all

• By working together, we will achieve lasting change for people with disabilities in the world’s poorest countries like Sierra Leone, and contribute to a healthier, fairer and more prosperous future for all.
• Partner with vocational education providers and relevant line ministries to develop specific economic empowerment programme including: Skills Development, business support grants and business sustainability activities.

Timeframe and/or implementation plan

• By 2019, Identified key partners and providers to develop further the technical and vocational programme to be rolled out nationwide
• By 2023 review and evaluate the impact of the programme on the lives of persons with disabilities. 

Partner with Ministry of Information and Communications and the private sector to make available and affordable assistive communication technologies for the enrichment of persons with disabilities, including access and participation

Timeframe and/or implementation plan
By 2019 identify service providers and relevant partners in consultation with the Ministry of information and communication to develop a framework for the commission and provision of required services.

Commit to use the Washington Group questions
Collaborate with statistics Sierra Leone and other data collection bodies in using the Washington group questions to disaggregate data for effective service provision to People  living with Disabilities.

Timeframe and/or implementation plan
By 2020 identify all data collection bodies in the country, strengthen the capacity of those service providers in the use of the Washington group questions  and pilot the questions in multiple indicator cluster survey to be conducted by statistics Sierra Leone

Strengthen the capacity of Ministries, Department and Agencies to roll out, popularize and implement policies and programmes related to women and girls with disabilities. 

Timeframe and/or implementation plan

• By end of 2018 map out all relevant institutions both local and international working on issues of women and girls with disabilities
• By 2019 under the coordination and supervision of the Ministry of Social Welfare identify all national policies and programmes related to women and girls with disabilities.
•  By 2020 roll out and implement identified policies and programmes for the advancement of women and girls with disabilities
• Make Free Health Care accessible to people with disabilities by identifying the challenges to access, particularly women and girls and developing a strategy to enhance access.

• Collaborate with the Office of National Security and other partners  in providing required services and protection to persons with disabilities in situation of risk.
• Provide livelihood support to people living with disability for economic empowerment.

Timeframe and/or implementation plan

• By end of 2018 identify all service providers to persons with disabilities in situation of risk
• By 2019 conduct capacity building training session for identified service providers for effective and efficient service provision to persons with disabilities in situation of risk.

• Promote the training of professionals and staff working with persons with disabilities in the rights recognized in the convention so as to better provide services to persons with disabilities
• By 2019 develop training manual for service providers to persons with disabilities identify beneficiaries and roll out the training