Legal framework on freedom of religion and actual application
The Constitution of Sierra Leone states that “no person shall be hindered in the enjoyment of his freedom of conscience”, which includes “freedom of thought and of religion, freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom either alone or in community with others and both in public and in private to manifest and propagate his religion or belief in worship, teaching, practice and observance” (Article 24, 1). Article 8 (3, b) affirms that the state must ensure that citizens have adequate facilities for their religious life. Article 24 (4) states that “no person shall be compelled to take any oath which is contrary to his religion or belief”. Article 8 (2, a) guarantees the equality of all citizens, while Article 35 (5, b-c) prohibits political parties to be identified directly or indirectly with any religious faith.
In matters of education, Article 24 (2) affirms that, except with a person’s own consent (or of a parent or guardian in the case of a minor), “no person attending any place of education shall be required to receive religious instruction [...] or to attend any religious ceremony or observance if that instruction, ceremony or observance relates to a religion other than his own”. Religious education is part of the curriculum in public schools, but it must not be sectarian in orientation; instead, it must be based on the ethical principles of Christianity, Islam, traditional African faiths, and other world religions. Religious communities can offer their own curriculum as an option.
Religious communities are not under any obligation to register with the authorities, but if they do, they can enjoy tax relief and other benefits.
Overall, relations between the country’s various religious communities are good. Marriages between Christians and Muslims are not uncommon, and many families have members from different religions living under one roof. It should be noted that many Muslims and Christians also observe traditional African ethno-religious practices. Among Christians, Protestant Churches are experiencing a growth in membership. The Catholic Church enjoys complete freedom regarding its missionary apostolate.
Incidents and developments
Sierra Leone has a long history of positive interfaith relations. There were no incidents reported during the period under review affecting citizens’ right to religious freedom, or the coexistence of religious communities.
One organisation of note is the Inter-Religious Council of Sierra Leone (IRCSL), which, with its Muslim and Christian representatives, makes an important contribution towards peaceful coexistence between the various religious communities in the country.
The Catholic Church too plays an important role in maintaining the nation's stability. One factor is that most schools in the country are run by the Catholic Church. This allows Muslim and Christian students to become acquainted with each other as well as with Christian values such as respect for another’s faith.
Other Church-run organisations support this living together through a variety of social projects. Over the period under review, some were awarded for their service. Of note was the Don Bosco Fambul, a non-governmental organisation run by members of the Institute of Salesians of Don Bosco (SDB), seeks to advance the rights of boys, girls, and young men in prison. It received the 2022 Solidarity Project Award, a prize given by Spanish newspaper ABC, for facilitating “the support and rehabilitation of girls”.
Preparing a better future for the younger generations, more initiatives from religious communities revolve around sustainable development and new skills for the young, including a better political inclusion of girls and women, the Salesians are also involved in a project helping more than 5,000 young people “foster environmental responsibility”. Trócaire, the overseas development agency of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Ireland, helped a new radio station addressing the concerns of girls and women. Nyapui Radio aims to positively change the lives of the women who tune in. Trócaire also initiated a project called the Yellow Ribbon Campaign in order to increase the representation of women in the national legislature and local councils.
An area of concern was related to the government’s response to COVID-19. Some safety measures imposed by the authorities in the attempt to curb the pandemic directly affected public worship. For example, concerning restrictions on Mass, Fr Peter Konteh, Director of Caritas in Freetown, stated, “measures were unfair because they closed churches, even when we took precautions such as social distancing, reduced capacity, increased the number of Masses … while restaurants, schools, etc. remained open.”
On 19 August 2022, after deadly anti-government protests due to the enormous increase of the cost of living, the Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Makeni, Bishop Natale Paganelli, called on the government and the population to strive for peaceful dialogue and put the common good first.
Prospects for freedom of religion
The prospects for religious freedom in Sierra Leone remain positive, and the situation is unlikely to change in the foreseeable future. As the main source of social unrest comes from high levels of economic inequality, religious actors play an important role in education and civil society building.
Sierra Leone