Female inmate and President of the Female Correctional Centre, Zainab Sheriff, has appealed to the Government of Sierra Leone to urgently improve conditions at the Female Correctional Centre in New England, Freetown, calling for prison reforms, better healthcare and alternative sentencing for minor offences.
Zainab Sheriff made the appeal on Wednesday, 8 July 2026, when the Parliamentary Oversight Committee on Human Rights, chaired by Hon. Dr. Unpha Sorie Koroma, conducted an oversight visit to the correctional facility to assess the welfare of inmates and the conditions under which they are being held.
Speaking on behalf of the inmates alongside Janet Kamara, Zainab Sheriff described the difficult realities facing women at the correctional centre, noting that the facility, which was originally constructed to accommodate only 18 inmates, is now housing more than 200 women. She said the overcrowded environment has created serious challenges, including inadequate sleeping space, limited access to medical supplies and poor living conditions.
She urged the Government to provide additional beds, medicines and other essential welfare items to improve the well-being of inmates. Zainab Sheriff also called on the authorities to address concerns relating to drug abuse within correctional facilities and to adopt more humane sentencing policies, particularly for first-time and minor offenders.
According to her, expanding the use of alternative sentencing measures, including community service, would help reduce congestion in correctional centres while giving deserving offenders an opportunity to reform outside prison walls.
Despite the challenges, Zainab Sheriff expressed appreciation to non-governmental organisations and humanitarian groups that have continued to support inmates through the provision of welfare assistance, counselling and other rehabilitation programmes.
Members of the Parliamentary Human Rights Committee acknowledged the concerns raised by the inmates and commended correctional officers for continuing to manage the facility despite the severe overcrowding and limited resources. They reaffirmed Parliament’s commitment to protecting the rights and dignity of inmates and pledged to continue advocating for improved correctional conditions across the country.
Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Dr. Unpha Sorie Koroma, praised civil society organisations for providing civic education and rehabilitation programmes for inmates, stressing that rehabilitation should remain a central objective of the correctional system. He further advocated for greater use of community service and other non-custodial measures as alternatives to imprisonment for minor offences.
Hon. Rev. Soukenah Fatmata Sarah highlighted Parliament’s commitment to promoting women’s rights and empowerment, while Hon. Brima Mansaray encouraged citizens to respect the law and avoid actions that could lead to imprisonment.
In a show of solidarity with the inmates, the Opposition Whip, Hon. Abdul Karim Kamara, encouraged the women to remain hopeful despite their circumstances and pledged to donate ten mattresses to help improve their living conditions.
The visit formed part of Parliament’s constitutional oversight responsibility to monitor human rights standards in correctional institutions and ensure that inmates are treated with dignity while serving their sentences. The concerns raised by Zainab Sheriff and other inmates are expected to contribute to ongoing discussions on prison decongestion, correctional reforms and improved welfare for inmates in Sierra Leone.
