International Development Grant
Fostering Peaceful Credible and Inclusive Elections in Sierra Leone
Project Number: CA-3-P011886001
Status: Terminating
Country/Region:
Maximum Contribution: $1,000,000.00
Start Date: March 20, 2023
End Date: December 31, 2024
Duration: 1.8 years
Project Description
This project supports the objectives outlined in the Government of Sierra Leone’s National Development Plan 2019-2023. It aims to enhance the institutional capacity of key election management bodies the judiciary and the police to implement and oversee the 2022-2023 electoral cycle. It seeks to enhance transparency and inclusion by ensuring that all stakeholders particularly women youth and persons with disabilities are engaged throughout the process. It also aims to allow them to assess and verify the credibility of electoral processes in an independent manner.
Expected Results
The expected outcomes for this project include: (1) enhanced management of electoral processes by relevant state institutions; (2) enhanced transparency and civic engagement in electoral processes; and (3) improved participation and representation of women youth and persons with disabilities in electoral processes.
Progress & Results Achieved
Results achieved as of March 2024 include: (1) strengthened capacity of the 4 major Elections Management Bodies (the Electoral Commission of Sierra Leone the Political Party Regulation Commission the Judiciary and the Police) to implement key activities that enhanced the management of the June 2023 Presidential and Parliamentary elections and enabled them to plan their civic engagements; (2) enhanced transparency and civic engagement in the electoral processes by partnering with Civil Society Organizations to promote political awareness which reached over 2.5 million citizens leading to an 83% voter turn out for the Presidential election’s polls representing over 2.8 million people and engaging 1800 Locality Electoral Education Committee members who supported the Electoral Commission of Sierra Leone with its civic and voter education activities in 448 designated localities of the country’s 16 districts. The project encouraged responsible media engagement by introducing and rolling out the use of the i-Verify online fact checking platform in collaboration with the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists that fact-checked 270 requests helping to combat misinformation and disinformation and promote fact-based public discourse; (3) improved inclusiveness by aiding the disseminating of information on elections to persons with disabilities engaging over 32 000 youth through the National Youth Commission to sensitize public and promote peace and training and mentoring 90 female political aspirants and 260 political candidates while promoting community level support for women candidates through a He4She campaign which worked closely with traditional and religious leaders. After the elections 41 women were elected to Parliament which represents 30.4% of all elected candidates and a 17.78% increase from the previous elections; (4) post elections the project supported the Election Review Committee established by the President and its key recommendations aimed at legal
Key Information
Executing Agency:
UNDP - United Nations Development Programme
Reporting Organization:
Global Affairs Canada
Program:
WGM Africa
Last Modified:
September 19, 2025
Development Classifications
DAC Sector:
Aid Type: Contributions to multi-donor/single-entity funding mechanisms
Collaboration: Bilateral
Finance Type: Aid grant excluding debt reorganisation
Selection Mechanism:
Department-Initiated