The National Democratic Institute is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization working to support and strengthen democratic institutions worldwide through citizen participation, openness and accountability in government.

While Sierra Leone’s decade-long civil war formally ended in 2002, the newly elected national and local government structures struggle to rebuild the country’s institutions and address the many needs of its population.

Sierra Leone’s 2007 presidential and parliamentary elections were important milestones for the country’s political development, as these polls represented the first time that a democratically elected government in Sierra Leone was replaced by another democratically elected government. Voter turnout was high as Sierra Leoneans turned out to select a president, vice president, and 112 Members of Parliament (MPs). The new parliament is the most diverse in Sierra Leone’s history, with the All People’s Congress (APC) holding 59 seats; the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP), the former ruling party, with 43 seats; and the People’s Movement for Democratic Change (PMDC) with 10 seats. Sixteen MPs are women, and one MP is disabled—the first person with a disability to be elected to office in Sierra Leone’s history. Twelve paramount chiefs were also nominated and elected by indirect ballot, bringing the total number of parliamentarians to 124.

Local government elections held on July 5, 2008, only the third such elections to be conducted in over four decades, helped consolidate the democratic gains made during the 2007 national elections. The July elections also offered women unprecedented opportunities to increase their number, effectiveness, and visibility in political life. As a consequence, the percentage of women councilors increased from 11 percent to almost 19 percent.

Current Activities

Women’s Political Participation

Past Activities

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