Women in all ages in different countries have been victims of violence, particularly violence emanating from wars. In Africa, women have had to contend with rape, loneliness, shame and rejection among others. The Sierra Leone Civil War brought to the attention of the world the bestiality of the male folk. Although it affected all members of the Sierra Leonean society, its effects on women were more devastating. This paper examines the violation of the rights of women in the Sierra Leone Civil War; the role played by the rebel movement, government forces and civil defence corps in gender related abuses; and find out why women are more vulnerable to rights violation in armed conflicts particularly in Sierra Leone. The methodology adopted was based on secondary sources. Our findings are that women were raped, brutalized and murdered and in some cases abducted and used as sex slaves. The study recommended that perpetrators of war crimes particularly against women should be severely punished to deter others.
Keywords: Gender, Sierra Leone, Violence, War, Women, conflicts.
