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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 report evaluates the transition from peacekeeping to peace-building in Sierra Leone following the May 2002 national elections. It details the success of the disarmament and demobilisation (DD) process, the challenges of reintegrating over 70,000 ex-combatants, and the restructuring of the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF) and the Sierra Leone Police (SLP). The document also examines the role of the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) in providing security and public information, the efforts to extend state authority to the interior, the management of the diamond industry, and the implementation of transitional justice through the Special Court and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.