Freetown, Sierra Leone, 17 December 2025: The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA Sierra Leone), together with the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development and implementing partners, convened the Annual Review and Planning Meeting to reflect on achievements in 2025 and agree on strategic priorities for 2026.
Held under the theme “Recalibration and Alignment,” the meeting focused on navigating financing constraints while maximizing impact through catalytic investments, efficiency, and a deliberate focus on reaching women and girls furthest behind.
In his statement, the UNFPA Resident Representative, Kunle Adeniyi, thanked the Government of Sierra Leone, implementing partners, and development partners for their continued collaboration in advancing national development priorities. He noted that the current context demands delivering stronger results with fewer resources, underscoring the need for evidence-based, people-centred interventions that prioritize equity, sustainability, and reaching the most vulnerable.
The Development Secretary, Ambrose James, described the Annual Review and Planning Meeting as a critical space for frank and solution-oriented dialogue in a shrinking official development assistance environment. He reaffirmed the strong partnership between the Government of Sierra Leone and UNFPA, noting that aligned efforts remain essential to advancing shared national goals for a healthier, more educated, and more prosperous Sierra Leone in line with the Medium-Term National Development Plan.
The review highlighted significant results achieved in the first year of UNFPA’s 8th Country Programme (2025–2030). In family planning, UNFPA-supported interventions reached approximately 650,000 contraceptive users, contributing to the prevention of an estimated 250,000 unintended pregnancies and 600 maternal deaths. The procurement of US$2.54 million in reproductive health commodities generated 1.24 million Couple Years of Protection, while more than 1.7 million women were reached with sexual and reproductive health and obstetric fistula information.
Progress was also recorded in adolescent and youth empowerment. In 2025, 2,500 girls were reintegrated into school, and 72,000 learners received training on comprehensive adolescent health and life skills.
Health system strengthening remained a key focus, with 281 healthcare workers trained, health facilities equipped and refurbished, and 27 obstetric fistula surgeries completed to restore dignity and improve quality of life for affected women.
On gender equality and social norms, UNFPA and partners supported 351 survivors of gender-based violence, trained 90 case workers and 708 community influencers, and established nine female genital mutilation (FGM) survivor networks to promote community-led social change.
Significant progress was also made in strengthening data and evidence systems, including the completion of a census readiness assessment, the launch of the 2026 Population and Housing Census and the Pilot Census, and support to the Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS) Strategic Plan (2025–2030).
As planning for 2026 begins, UNFPA and its partners committed to building on these gains, strengthening coordination, and ensuring that limited resources deliver maximum impact for women, girls, and young people across Sierra Leone.
Media contact: Islander Kabia | Communications Unit | UNFPA Sierra Leone | ikabia@unfpa.org
