We are a dedicated team of women’s and children’s rights activists, united by a shared passion for safeguarding women and girls.
Promote the safety, and autonomy of women and girls by addressing sexual and gender-based violence
Allies in Development was founded in December 2020, in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, at a time when violence against women and girls was already a national emergency.
In February 2019, the President of Sierra Leone declared a public health emergency on rape and sexual violence, describing it as a national crisis that threatened the country’s human capital development agenda. Nearly 3,000 sexual assault cases were recorded in 2018 alone, with more than 70% of survivors being underage girls aged 15 and below. Among them, over 2,400 contracted sexually transmitted diseases, yet only 39 cases were successfully prosecuted.
But violence against women and girls in Sierra Leone is not new. During the country’s 11-year civil war (1991–2002), more than 200,000 women and girls were subjected to sexual violence. This legacy of harm has persisted, rooted in cultural and socio-political systems that continue to fail survivors today.
We prioritize the representation of women and girls at every level of our organization. Our Board of Trustees, composed entirely of women and girls, serves as our primary oversight and decision-making body. They bring professional expertise, passion, and lived experience of violence in Sierra Leone. This ensures our work is grounded in survivors’ realities, and that our programs truly reflect their needs, values, and contributions
Our volunteers are the heart of our mission. They are our ambassadors and co-implementers, opening doors to the communities they belong to, building trust, and driving our programs forward from within.
Share your time and talents with us. Teach a skill under the Allies in Development skills-plus program.
Are you looking for ways to support our mission?
We are inviting women and children’s rights enthusiasts to get in touch. It does not matter where you are located, we have multiple ways to engage.
