Gender inequality in Sierra Leone, after colonialism among the worst in SubSaharan
Africa, has been heightened further by the civil war of 1992-2002--which was
related in part to the struggle for control of “blood diamonds” but also to long-standing
social and regional disparities, and to collapse of formal institutions and widespread
corruption. Sierra Leonean women are today among the most marginalized in the world,
socially, economically and politically. However, there are differences among three
groups: the better educated, comparatively richer “Krios” (descendants of the original
freed slaves); relatively enlightened tribes; and the more traditional patriarchal tribes. The
main route to improving the status of Sierra Leonean women is political empowerment.
Some progress has been made since the civil war, post-conflict reconstruction programs
and donor pressure are also opening up new opportunities for women progress, and there
are hopes of significant electoral gains for women in the 2012 elections, inspired by the
promising developments in neighboring post-conflict Liberia (which in 2005 elected
Africa’s first female president). However, sustainable advancement depends on alliances
whereby the better-educated urban women exert pressure for solving concrete problems
of poorer women in exchange for their political support. Although such alliances are
difficult, new grassroots women organizations have achieved positive initial results,
which can be consolidated and expanded by appropriate partnership with international
women NGOs.