Sierra Leone Drops in Rule of Law Index

Under the SLPP Government led by His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio, Sierra Leone has dropped in the Rule of Law Index.

Sierra Leone has been ranked 110th out of 142 in the global Rule of Law Index. Also, Sierra Leone’s score decreased, ranks 18th out of 34 regionally.

The rule of law has once again eroded in a majority of countries this year, according to the World Justice Project (WJP) Rule of Law Index 2023.

This is the sixth consecutive Index marking global declines in the rule of law. This year alone, the rule of law declined in 59% of countries surveyed—including Sierra Leone.

Since 2016, rule of law has fallen in 78% of countries studied. The rule of law factor to decline most between 2016 and 2023 is Fundamental Rights—down in 77% of countries, including Sierra Leone.

Over the past seven years, Index scores for Constraints on Government Powers have fallen in 74% of countries including Sierra Leone. Around the world, legislatures, judiciaries, and civil society including the media have all lost ground on checking executive power, the Index shows.

These and other authoritarian trends continued in 2023, but they are slowing, with fewer countries declining in 2022 and 2023 than in earlier years. Constraints on Government Powers fell in 56% of countries, compared to 58% in 2022 and 70% in 2021.

Likewise, a smaller majority of countries saw overall rule of law declines in this year (59%) as compared to the last two (61% and 74%). A smaller majority of countries (56%) also experienced a decline in Fundamental Rights again this year, compared to 2022 (66%).

On the other hand, declines in the functioning of justice systems are now expanding. Two thirds of countries (66%) saw their Index scores for Civil Justice fall this year, up from 61% of countries last year—including Sierra Leone.

Greater justice delays and weaker enforcement are largely to blame. Meanwhile, scores for Criminal Justice also fell in slightly more countries this year (56%) than last year (55%).

“The world remains gripped by a rule of law recession characterized by executive overreach, curtailing of human rights, and justice systems that are failing to meet people’s needs,” said WJP co-founder and president William H. Neukom. “People around the world are paying the price.” Rule of law in Sierra Leone Sierra Leone ranks 110th out of 142 countries worldwide. Regionally, Sierra Leone ranks 18th out of 34 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa.

The region’s top performer is Rwanda (ranked 41st out of 142 globally), followed by Namibia and Mauritius. The three countries with the lowest scores in the region are Mauritania, Cameroon, and Democratic Republic of the Congo (138th globally).

In the last year, 20 out of 34 countries declined in Sub-Saharan Africa. Of those 20 countries, 10 had also declined in the previous year. Among low-income countries, Sierra Leone ranks 8th out of 18.