Allies in Development signs Service Level Agreement with Ministry of Gender and Children’s Affairs
Freetown, Sierra Leone | August 27, 2026
Allies in Development (AiD) is pleased to announce the signing of a Service Level Agreement (SLA) with the Ministry of Gender and Children’s Affairs (MoGCA) in Sierra Leone for the implementation of the project:
“Strengthening state-civil society collaboration on Justice and social protection for survivors of sexual and gender-based violence.”
The 27 months project (October 1, 2026 — 31sf December 2028), will be implemented in collaboration with MoGCA and civil society partners to strengthen national SGBV response architecture, with emphasis on access to justice and social protection for women and girls affected by violence.
The partnership represents an important step toward advancing coordinated safeguarding approaches within Sierra Leone’s education sector and supporting safer learning environments where children and young people are protected from violence.
Strengthening Sierra Leone’s SGBV response
The project aims to strengthen the national SGBV response architecture, with emphasis on access to justice and social protection for women and girls affected by violence. It responds to persistent challenges including barriers to justice, delays in prosecution, weak coordination among institutions, and limited economic protection and social services for survivors.
Through the SLA, AiD and the Ministry will work to strengthen referral pathways, improve collaboration among government and civil society actors, and support efforts that promote greater accountability and survivor protection.
The project has four main objectives:
- establishing the Ministry as a referral partner for AiD programmes;
- enhancing government accountability and reforms relating to justice and survivor protection;
- promoting joint CSO policy advocacy and partnerships on justice and social protection and;
- strengthening AiD’s implementation capacity through technical collaboration with the Ministry and aligned civil society organisations
Key areas of collaboration
The project will combine government–CSO collaboration, case monitoring, capacity strengthening, policy dialogue and community engagement.
Key activities will include developing formal referral relationships with the Ministry and CSO partners and onboarding referrals into AiD programmes. The project will also monitor the handling of SGBV cases by the police and document judicial processes and court outcomes through quarterly monitoring reports, learning briefs and commentaries.
AiD will further support joint training for civil society organisations, law enforcement and service providers, alongside roundtable discussions and stakeholder dialogues. Advocacy and community sensitisation activities will also be coordinated to strengthen awareness and engagement around justice, protection and social protection for survivors.
The project also provides for 100 skills training scholarships for survivors of SGBV, connecting survivor protection and social protection with opportunities for skills development and economic empowerment.
Who will benefit?
The primary beneficiaries will be women and girls affected by sexual and gender-based violence, including survivors who will be supported to access relevant protection, referral, social protection and skills-development opportunities.
The project will also engage and strengthen the capacity of civil society organisations, law enforcement actors, service providers and community stakeholders, recognising their roles in preventing and responding to SGBV and improving pathways to justice and survivor support.
Expected results
By the end of the implementation period, the project expects to contribute to:
- Increased access to justice for survivors
- Increased CSO- and government-led social protection programmes
- Increased survivors’ access to social protection
- Enhanced government accountability and transparency
Building systems that can continue beyond the project
AiD’s approach also places emphasis on sustainability. The project plan includes raising awareness and strengthening the capacity of civil society actors on justice and social protection advocacy and programme development, while developing a programme toolkit and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to support SGBV case monitoring.
The project will also establish quarterly CSO check-ins and evidence-sharing activities. As part of the planned exit strategy, AiD aims to support a consortium of CSOs to pursue self-funded or partner-funded initiatives addressing justice and social protection, while producing and sharing learning briefs and other knowledge products that can support replication of effective approaches.
Looking ahead
For Allies in Development, the SLA represents an opportunity to strengthen the link between government systems, civil society action and survivor-centred support. Over the implementation period, AiD will work with the Ministry and other stakeholders to strengthen referral pathways, generate evidence, support dialogue and advocacy, and expand access to services and opportunities for women and girls affected by violence.
The partnership reflects AiD’s broader commitment to strengthening systems that promote justice, social protection, safety and dignity for women and girls in Sierra Leone.
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