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This research paper evaluates the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), highlighting its achievements in promoting governance and self-reflection among African states while warning of current crises regarding transparency, leadership integrity, and the marginalization of civil society.

This research paper by the South African Institute of International Affairs examines the impact of agricultural trade policies and the Doha Round of WTO negotiations on the food security of net food-importing developing countries (NFIDCs). It analyzes how trade-distorting subsidies, export restrictions, and tariff reforms affect the affordability and accessibility of food in low-income societies.

This research paper examines the relationship between protected areas (PAs) and conflict, arguing that conservation interventions are inherently political and can either exacerbate or mitigate tensions. The authors propose the adoption of Peace and Conflict Impact Assessments (PCIAs)—tools used in the humanitarian and development sectors—to ensure that Transboundary Protected Areas (TBPAs) contribute to peacebuilding and adhere to 'do no harm' principles, particularly in conflict-prone regions.

This briefing by the Institute for Security Studies examines a firearm amnesty launched by South African Minister of Police Nathi Mthethwa from 11 January to 11 April 2010. The author analyzes the effectiveness of such amnesties in reducing violent crime, noting that while they reduce the total number of available weapons, evidence linking them to crime reduction is scarce due to complex variables.

This seminar report, compiled by the Institute for Security Studies, documents a two-day event held in September 2010 in Stellenbosch, South Africa. The seminar brought together researchers, practitioners, and policymakers to critically examine the nature of post-conflict reconstruction and peacebuilding, specifically questioning the 'liberal peace' model and its practical implementation in Africa.

This 2010 position paper by the Institute for Security Studies examines the legal and political tensions between the African Union (AU), the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), and the International Criminal Court (ICC), specifically regarding the use of Article 16 of the Rome Statute to defer prosecutions of Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir.

This research paper argues that current international and regional approaches to humanitarian military interventions in Africa are ineffective because they prioritize humanitarian aid over the restoration of security. The author proposes a new 'humanitarian security intervention' doctrine that emphasizes the coercive use of force to establish security as a prerequisite for humanitarian assistance and long-term peacebuilding.

This policy brief by the Institute for Security Studies examines the structural and institutional weaknesses of law enforcement in Sierra Leone, Tanzania, and Zambia. It identifies common challenges across these states, including politicization, severe resource shortages, corruption driven by poor pay, and a lack of public trust. The document provides specific recommendations for legislative reform, increased budgetary allocations, and the adoption of specialized units to improve human rights and victim support.

The document analyzes the second Africa South America summit held on 27-28 September 2009 on Margarita Island, Venezuela, focusing on efforts to strengthen South-South co-operation as a counterweight to Northern influence and the ideological divisions among participating nations.

This policy brief examines the crisis in the prison systems of Sierra Leone, Tanzania, and Zambia, highlighting how colonial-era infrastructure, chronic underfunding, and retributive sentencing policies lead to severe overcrowding and systemic human rights violations.

A statement by African civil society organizations urging African States Parties to the Rome Statute to maintain their commitment to the International Criminal Court (ICC) and reject an African Union (AU) decision to withhold cooperation in the arrest of Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir.

This policy brief by the Institute for Security Studies assesses the systemic failures of the criminal justice system in Sierra Leone following a decade-long civil war. It identifies critical weaknesses across policing, prosecution, prisons, and the judiciary, highlighting issues of corruption, underfunding, and outdated legislation. The document recommends comprehensive reforms, including budgetary increases, the modernization of legal acts, and the harmonization of the dual legal system to improve access to justice for marginalized groups.

This policy brief by the Institute for Security Studies examines the historical development and current challenges of establishing democratic accountability and oversight for intelligence services in Africa. It argues that intelligence agencies have traditionally served regime security rather than public security, often facilitating human rights abuses, and outlines the necessary mechanisms and political shifts required to transition toward transparent, democratically governed services.

This report chapter examines the state of the prison system in Sierra Leone as of 2008-2009, detailing systemic failures in human rights, infrastructure, and legal processes. It highlights severe overcrowding, poor medical care, and a lack of legal representation, while noting that the Prisons Service lacks the funding and human resources to comply with international standards despite government efforts to renovate facilities.

This report examines the judiciary of Sierra Leone, detailing its historical evolution from the colonial era through periods of authoritarianism and civil war to its current democratic transition. It analyzes the legal framework established by the 1991 Constitution, the structure of the court system, and the persistent challenges regarding judicial independence, institutional capacity, and access to justice for vulnerable populations.

This chapter of a 2008 country review examines Sierra Leone's engagement with regional and international legal instruments. It details the process of ratification and domestication, identifies significant delays in the ratification process, lists numerous conventions yet to be ratified, and attributes these failures to institutional inertia within the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Justice.

This report chapter examines the prosecution system in Sierra Leone as of 2008, detailing the constitutional roles of the Attorney-General, Solicitor-General, and Director of Public Prosecutions. It highlights systemic failures including the politicization of the judiciary, a severe shortage of qualified legal manpower, and the inadequacy of police prosecutors in summary courts. The document calls for legislative updates to the Criminal Procedures Act of 1965 and structural reforms to separate the political and professional functions of the Attorney-General's office.

This foreword introduces a country review of crime and criminal justice in Sierra Leone, produced as part of the second phase of the African Human Security Initiative (AHSI). The initiative aims to complement the NEPAD/APRM process by providing empirical evidence on criminal justice systems to encourage reforms that enhance human security and democracy.

This report chapter examines the state of access to justice in Sierra Leone as of 2008, detailing a bifurcated legal system where the majority of the population relies on customary law. It highlights systemic barriers including poverty, illiteracy, and corruption, while specifically addressing the vulnerabilities of women and children in the justice system. The document also outlines various institutional reforms and NGO-led paralegal initiatives aimed at improving legal reach in rural areas.

This introductory chapter of a 2009 report by the Institute for Security Studies reviews the state of crime and criminal justice in Sierra Leone. It details the systemic damage caused by authoritarian regimes and a decade-long civil war (1991–2002), the subsequent efforts toward security sector reform, the dual nature of the legal system (English and customary law), and persistent human rights challenges within the judiciary and prison systems.