Spearheaded by the Ministry of Social Welfare, Gender and Children’s Affairs, in close partnership with civil society organisations led primarily by women - the West Africa Network for Peacebuilding-Sierra Leone (WANEP) and the Mano River Union Peace Network (MARWOPNET) - the development of the plan also involved a broad spectrum of stakeholders including other government line ministries, parliamentarians and UN agencies. The collaboration of so many varied stakeholders and the extensive involvement of local and international partners can help provide a strong framework for awareness raising, capacity building and overall monitoring and evaluation of the impact of the NAP, but it will take time for the effects of the plan to be identified and assessed. The present conflict has lasted over 20 years, with the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) under rebel leader Joseph Kony being particularly brutal and committing acts of unspeakable violence. Women and children have been especially affected, subject to abductions, widespread rape and murder.