Sierra Leone’s Gender Reforms: Advancing Female Entrepreneurship & Finance

Sierra Leone has undertaken groundbreaking reforms to advance female entrepreneurship and financial inclusion, supported by global institutions and grassroots activism. By combining policy changes, financial access, and gender equality laws, the country is setting a powerful precedent for economic empowerment and sustainable development.

Sierra Leone has embarked on a transformative journey to empower female entrepreneurs and expand financial inclusion, supported by global institutions such as the World Bank, UNDP, ILO, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. These efforts have resulted in key legislative and policy changes, including the Directives on Provision of Financial Services on a Non-Discriminatory Basis (2021), the Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment (GEWE) Act (2022), the National Strategy for Financial Inclusion (NSFI) 2022–2026, and the Employment Act (2023). These reforms aim to remove long-standing financial and economic barriers that have hindered women’s participation in business and leadership. Through a combination of political determination, international support, and grassroots advocacy, Sierra Leone is reshaping its legal and financial landscape to ensure women gain equal access to credit, employment, and decision-making positions.

Breaking Barriers: Women Entrepreneurs Leading the Change

One of the most striking examples of these reforms’ impact is the story of Mariama Turay, a small business owner in Freetown. She took advantage of a low-interest loan specifically designed for female entrepreneurs, enabling her to expand her fabric business. Within three months, she had fully repaid her loan and was planning further investments. Her story highlights the power of financial inclusion in breaking traditional gender norms, fostering independence, and enabling women to participate in economic development. However, for decades, women like Mariama faced significant financial exclusion, with only 25% of Sierra Leonean women owning a bank account compared to 33% of men. Such disparities have historically kept women trapped in informal labor, where 97% of them remain employed today.

Sierra Leone’s post-war economy has relied heavily on micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), which make up over 90% of the domestic private sector. Women, despite their significant contributions, were systematically excluded from financial services and economic opportunities. Recognizing this, policymakers implemented a series of reforms to address gender-specific barriers in financial access, credit availability, and workforce participation.

From War Recovery to Economic Empowerment

The roots of these reforms date back to the country’s post-civil war recovery efforts. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) report of 2004 underscored the systemic discrimination against women and called for their greater economic participation. The government responded with landmark legislation such as the Devolution of Estates Act (2007), which secured women’s inheritance rights, and the Domestic Violence Act (2007), which criminalized domestic abuse. Despite these advances, financial exclusion persisted, prompting further policy action.

By 2017, Sierra Leone introduced its first National Strategy for Financial Inclusion (NSFI-1), though it lacked a gender-specific focus. A major breakthrough came in 2021, when the Bank of Sierra Leone issued directives prohibiting gender-based discrimination in financial services. This was followed by NSFI-2 (2022–2026), which adopted a gender-sensitive approach by focusing on improving women’s access to credit, savings, and insurance services.

In November 2022, the GEWE Act was passed, requiring at least 30% representation for women in government, private sector leadership, and decision-making roles. This milestone legislation aimed to eliminate gender-based economic discrimination and empower women as key drivers of national growth. Building on this momentum, the Employment Act (2023) removed gender-based employment restrictions, expanded maternity leave from 12 to 14 weeks, introduced paternity leave, and ensured that career interruptions due to childcare were accounted for in pension benefits.

Political Will and Grassroots Power: A Winning Combination

These reforms were made possible through strong political leadership and strategic grassroots advocacy. Former Minister of Gender Manty Tarawalli played a pivotal role in changing the narrative from a human rights perspective to an economic argument, demonstrating that gender equality would drive Sierra Leone’s GDP growth and financial stability.

Presidents Ernest Bai Koroma and Julius Maada Bio championed these reforms, with President Bio’s “New Direction” manifesto in 2018 prioritizing women’s empowerment. His administration actively pushed for policies that expanded financial inclusion, strengthened labor protections for women, and ensured greater female representation in leadership roles.

However, top-down policy changes alone were not enough. Civil society organizations (CSOs), such as the 50/50 Group and the Campaign for Good Governance (CGG), played an equally significant role. These groups mobilized communities, lobbied parliamentarians, and launched public awareness campaigns such as #ManyVoicesOneMessage and #BringBackTheGEWEBill. By engaging rural women in discussions about their economic rights, these organizations ensured the reforms were not just legal mandates but also practical tools for real change.

Challenges Ahead: Implementing Reforms for All Women

Despite these legislative victories, implementation remains the next major challenge. Many women, especially in rural areas, remain unaware of their new financial and labor rights. Bureaucratic barriers, strict collateral requirements for loans, and limited financial literacy continue to discourage women from accessing credit and banking services. While some banks and financial institutions have launched women-focused financial products, there is still a long way to go in making these services widely accessible.

A critical test of success will be scaling financial interventions from reaching thousands to millions of women. As Joanna Favour Tom-Kargbo, Economic Justice Manager at Christian Aid, points out, "The real challenge is ensuring that these reforms touch the lives of grassroots women, not just those in urban centers." Similarly, Mariama Keitta, a female farmer and Gender Focal Person in the National Federation of Farmers of Sierra Leone, emphasized that she has never taken a loan because bank requirements remain too strict for rural women.

Sierra Leone’s gender reform journey stands as a powerful model for inclusive economic transformation. By successfully combining top-down policy interventions with bottom-up grassroots mobilization, the country has demonstrated how legislative changes can drive real social and economic progress. The shift in narrative from gender equality as a moral issue to an economic imperative has been crucial in securing widespread support.

As other African nations consider similar reforms, Sierra Leone’s experience offers valuable lessons on the interplay between policy, advocacy, and economic strategy. While the country has made remarkable strides, the real success of these reforms will be measured by how effectively they are implemented and how deeply they impact the lives of women across all sectors of society.