Women's Leadership and the Policy Implementation Gap in Sierra Leone: Governance Mechanisms and Institutional Constraints
Abstract:
Women's participation in political
and administrative leadership in Sierra Leone has increased over the past
decade, supported by legal reforms, gender quotas, and international
commitments to gender equality. However, these gains in representation are yet
to be translated into a tangible policy outcome that address gendered
development priorities. This paper examines the nature and drivers of the women's
leadership policy implementation gap in Sierra Leone, focusing on why increased
female presence in leadership positions has not consistently translated into
substantive policy influence or effective implementation. The persistent gap
between policy formulation and effective implementation remains a central
challenge in public governance, particularly in developing and fragile states.
While women's leadership in governance has received increasing scholarly
attention, existing research focuses largely on representation and policy
prioritization, with limited attention to implementation processes. Drawing on
qualitative interviews with public officials, frontline implementers,
development partners, and civil society actors, complemented by document
analysis, the study identifies key structural, political, and socio-cultural
barriers that limit women's ability to shape policy agendas and oversee
implementation processes. The findings suggest that while symbolic
representation and quota-based inclusion are important, they are insufficient
in the absence of enabling institutional environments, accountability mechanisms,
and leadership autonomy. The paper argues that closing the women's leadership policy
implication gap requires a shift from descriptive representation to substantive
empowerment, supported by institutional reforms, gender-responsive budgeting,
and strengthened implementation frameworks. The study contributes to the
literature on gender and governance in post-conflict and fragile states and
offers policy-relevant insights for advancing more effective and inclusive
leadership outcomes in Sierra Leone.
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