The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), through the European Union-funded Spotlight Initiative implemented in partnership with the United Nations, has presented an assessment report on the Family Support Unit (FSU) service provision and capacity gaps to the Inspector General of Police (IGP), William Fayia Sellu, reaffirming its commitment to strengthening access to justice for survivors of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) in Sierra Leone.
The report was officially presented on Wednesday, 1 July 2026, during a meeting between representatives of UNDP and the Sierra Leone Police. The assessment forms part of ongoing efforts under the Spotlight Initiative to improve institutional capacity and enhance the delivery of justice services for survivors of SGBV.
Presenting the report, UNDP Gender Analyst, Madam Kadiatu Bachalle Taylor, explained that the Spotlight Initiative is currently supporting interventions in Kailahun, Falaba and Moyamba Districts in collaboration with the Sierra Leone Police, the Judiciary and the Ministry of Justice. She noted that the initiative seeks to strengthen key institutions responsible for preventing and responding to sexual and gender-based violence while ensuring survivors receive timely and effective support.
Madam Kadiatu Bachalle Taylor commended officers of the Family Support Unit for their dedication and professionalism, particularly those serving in remote and underserved communities despite facing significant logistical and operational challenges. She emphasized that their commitment continues to play a vital role in protecting vulnerable women, children and other survivors of abuse.
According to her, the assessment was conducted across nine Family Support Unit jurisdictions and identified several critical gaps affecting service delivery. Those include inadequate staffing, limited transportation, insufficient logistics and operational constraints that continue to hinder the Unit’s effectiveness in responding to cases of sexual and gender-based violence.
To address some of those challenges, Madam Kadiatu Bachalle Taylor disclosed that UNDP has procured fourteen motorcycles, laptops, printers and other Information and Communication Technology (ICT) equipment aimed at improving the mobility, efficiency and operational capacity of Family Support Unit personnel across the country.
She further revealed that a comprehensive review of the Family Support Unit’s Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) is currently underway. The review, she explained, is intended to ensure that the procedures adequately respond to emerging forms of gender-based violence, including technology-facilitated offences and crimes occurring in border communities, where new patterns of abuse have increasingly been reported.
Receiving the assessment report, Inspector General of Police, William Fayia Sellu, expressed appreciation to UNDP and its development partners for their continued support to the Sierra Leone Police. He described the Family Support Unit as one of the Force’s most important departments because of its critical responsibility in protecting vulnerable members of society and ensuring justice for survivors of abuse.
The IGP assured the UNDP delegation that Police Management would carefully review the recommendations contained in the assessment report and provide the necessary institutional support to facilitate their implementation. He also pledged to engage the UNDP Resident Representative to accelerate the rollout of the proposed interventions aimed at strengthening the Family Support Unit.
William Fayia Sellu noted that public confidence in the Family Support Unit has steadily improved over the years, resulting in an increase in the number of survivors coming forward to report cases of sexual and gender-based violence to the Police. He stressed that the growing trust placed in the Unit demonstrates the importance of sustained investment in its personnel, logistics and operational capabilities.
He maintained that strengthening the Family Support Unit remains essential to improving access to justice, protecting survivors and ensuring that perpetrators of sexual and gender-based violence are held accountable under the law.
The meeting concluded with the formal presentation of the assessment report, further reinforcing the strong partnership between the Sierra Leone Police and the United Nations Development Programme under the Spotlight Initiative. Both institutions reaffirmed their shared commitment to enhancing institutional capacity, improving justice delivery and strengthening protection mechanisms for survivors of sexual and gender-based violence across Sierra Leone.
