A/HRC/13/28 United Nations General Assembly Distr.: General 12 February 2010 Original: English Human Rights Council Thirteenth session Agenda item 2 Annual report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and reports of the Office of the High Commissioner and the Secretary-General Assistance to Sierra Leone in the field of human rights Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights* Summary Sierra Leone has continued to progress in building its capacity for the promotion and protection of human rights. The passage of the Chieftaincy Act, the ratification of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and various sensitization programmes organized on the Child Rights Act, the Domestic Violence Act, the Registration of Customary Marriage and the Divorce Act were notable in this regard. The Capacity of civil society organizations, government officials and the Human Rights Commission was also developed through training and other activities. Progress has been made in strengthening the rule of law. An active role was played by the Anti-Corruption Commission in taking action against corrupt practices. Activities carried out to strengthen the justice sector institutions, including the judiciary, prison and the police, were significant. Progress in improving prison conditions has also been made. The supply of necessary logistics, the provision of water and regular supplies of food marked a definite improvement in prison conditions. However, challenges remain, as detention by police for periods beyond the lawful detention period, the poor condition of police detention cells, inadequate supplies of medicine in prisons and overcrowding in some of the prisons continue to pose a threat to the protection of the rights of accused persons. The Government adopted the second poverty reduction strategy in the name of the Agenda for Change. The strategy aims at improving the socio-economic conditions of people. The Government also adopted a strategy to address the challenges in the health sector. However, effective implementation of these strategies depends on the mobilization of resources by the Government, as well as on the support of international partners. * Late submission. GE.10-10771 (E) 260210