A recent UNICEF report reveals that 66% of Sierra Leonean children face social and material deprivation, classifying them as multidimensionally poor. The report, based on a 2017 survey by Statistics Sierra Leone, highlights severe regional disparities, with over 80% of children in districts like Koinadugu, Pujehun, Moyamba, Bonthe, and Tonkolili living in poverty, compared to 45% in rural Western Area and 32% in urban parts.
This alarming situation underscores the nation’s ongoing challenge in improving living standards for its children. Despite efforts outlined in the 2020 revised National Social Protection Policy, only 4.4% of Sierra Leoneans benefit from social protection, and just 0.8% of children receive assistance. Children in households headed by individuals with disabilities are particularly affected by this gap.
While some progress has been made with the creation of the Social Protection Registry and non-contributory transfer schemes, these initiatives have yet to significantly reduce child poverty. The report calls for the government to expand its social assistance programs by providing targeted allowances, expanding cash transfers, and including informal workers in the national insurance scheme. Strengthening social protection is seen as vital to addressing the deep-rooted deprivation faced by Sierra Leone’s children and securing their future.
