By Foday Moriba Conteh
The People’s Alliance for Reproductive Health Advocacy (PARHA) has called on the Government of Sierra Leone to urgently pass the Safe Motherhood and Reproductive Health Care (SMRH) Bill 2024. During a Press Conference held on Thursday, December 12, 2024, at the Centre for Accountability and Rule of Law (CARL-SL) office on Pultney Street in Freetown, Suatiatu Tunis, Women’s Leader and Focal Person for PARHA in Western Rural, delivered a press statement emphasizing the significance of the bill.
“The SMRH Bill 2024 is a major milestone towards improving maternal and reproductive health outcomes in Sierra Leone,” stated Suatiatu Tunis. She noted that the bill, approved by the Cabinet and gazetted by the Law Officers Department, aims to establish a legal framework to protect and advance safe motherhood and reproductive health rights while enhancing healthcare standards and empowering citizens with the right to make informed reproductive health decisions.
Suatiatu Tunis highlighted PARHA’s extensive advocacy efforts since 2018, which have culminated in this legislative milestone. In collaboration with the Ministry of Health and development partners, PARHA has conducted nationwide consultations, town hall meetings and media campaigns to educate stakeholders and garner public support for the bill. Those efforts have included raising awareness about key sexual and reproductive health (SRH) issues, such as adolescent pregnancy, maternal mortality and Gender-Based Violence.
President Julius Maada Bio, in a statement during the 10th Africa Conference on Sexual Health and Rights in 2022, reaffirmed his Government’s commitment to the enactment of the SMRH Bill. The ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) also underscored this promise in their 2023 manifesto, pledging to reduce the country’s maternal mortality ratio to less than 100 per 100,000 live births.
Despite the positive developments, Suatiatu Tunis expressed concerns about persistent gaps in accessing sexual and reproductive health services. She urged the Government to review discriminatory laws, such as sections of the 1861 Offenses Against the Persons Act and the Pharmacy & Drugs Act 2001, which restrict access to safe termination of pregnancies resulting from rape, incest or sexual exploitation.
“Failure to accelerate the implementation of reproductive health rights will not only weaken health and human rights but also hinder efforts to alleviate poverty and achieve social justice,” Suatiatu Tunis emphasized. With financial and technical support from Amplify Change, PARHA believes that promoting and protecting SRH rights is crucial for fostering gender equality and sustainable development.
On behalf of PARHA, Suatiatu Tunis issued a clear challenge to the Government to:
- Uphold President Bio’s commitment to the SMRH Bill made at the 2022 ACSHR.
- Fulfill the SLPP’s manifesto promise by ensuring the swift passage of the SMRH Bill into law.
- Combat gender inequality by reforming outdated legislation that impedes access to reproductive health services.
“The SMRH Bill is not just about healthcare it’s about the dignity, rights and empowerment of women and girls,” Suatiatu Tunis declared. She pledged PARHA’s unwavering support in the fight to “promote, protect, and safeguard sexual and reproductive health rights” in Sierra Leone.
The coalition of over 60 civil society organizations under PARHA continues to advocate for women’s and girls’ rights as a cornerstone of equitable development and social justice.
