The Justice Sector Development Programme (worth £25m between 2005–2010) is working to improve safety, security and access to justice for the people of Sierra Leone, particularly the poor, vulnerable and marginalized.  It sets out to address the problems of poor service delivery, inadequate accountability, inefficiencies and limits on capacity that result in injustice, instability and insecurity, and which in turn stop people getting out of poverty.  

The Programme is organised into 5 components:

• Administration of justice
• Safety and security
• Primary justice
• Research and information
• The pilot area of Moyamba District

The Administration of Justice component focuses on improving access to justice through legal aid and paralegal services.  It is also addressing out of date laws and procedures and delays in court.

The Safety and security component is seeking to tackle prison overcrowding and improve the operation of the Prison Service.

The Primary justice component looks at improving the standard of care for juveniles across the justice system, helping civil society hold the justice sector to account and tackling discrimination against women and children.

The Research and information component attempts to bring together all the relevant information on the justice sector in Sierra Leone and make it available to anyone and everyone in an accessible way.

Moyamba District was chosen as a pilot area as it hosts all the main structures in the formal justice sector.  Work in Moyamba will help us understand better the barriers to justice, especially for the most vulnerable in society.