The illicit flow and use of small arms and light weapons during the 11-year r...

The illicit flow and use of small arms and light weapons during the 11-year rebel war was devastating, particularly for our women and girls. In this regard, the enactment of the National Commission on Small Arms Act of 2010 and the formal establishment of the National Commission should, among other things, enhance our capacity to address the issue of violence, including gender-based and sexual violence. We have also established a National Committee on Genderbased Violence to look into cases of abuse and violence against women and girls. Moreover, pillar 3 of the Sierra Leone national action plan specifically deals with the prosecution and punishment of perpetrators as a way of addressing the question of impunity for sexual and gender-based violence.