Policy Brief: A Case for a Safe Motherhood & Reproductive Health (SMRH) Law in Sierra Leone

Abstract

Unsafe abortion is a leading cause of maternal mortality across Sub-Saharan Africa, and Sierra Leone has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world, with unsafe abortion accounting for roughly one in ten of these deaths. This policy brief argues that a substantial unmet need for modern contraception, combined with the country's restrictive abortion laws, drives many women toward clandestine and unsafe abortion procedures. It further notes that limited access to sexual and reproductive health information and services, compounded by a shortage of trained medical personnel, has intensified the crisis. The brief presents the case for Sierra Leone's proposed Safe Motherhood & Reproductive Health Bill, arguing that its enactment would expand access to sexual and reproductive health information and services and give women greater ability to make informed reproductive choices, thereby reducing reliance on unsafe abortion. The authors call on the government to fast-track passage of the bill and urge the Ministry of Health and Sanitation to ensure its effective implementation once enacted, positioning the legislation as a critical step toward reducing preventable maternal deaths in the country.