Access to Justice for 500 Women in Sierra Leone

Zainab* is from a rural community in the Northern Province of Sierra Leone. She has lived with epilepsy since she was small and was ridiculed by her neighbours for her seizures. In Sierra Leone, as a study by the Epilepsy Association of Sierra Leone shows, the causes of epilepsy are often misunderstood to be demonic, with those affected by it being cast out of communities. Luckily, Zainab’s family didn’t share this view and they helped her get regular treatment – paying 100,000 Leones a month (approx. $10), a considerable amount in a country where the minimum wage is around 500,000 Leones (approx. $50).

One day, as Zainab was washing her clothes, a neighbour walked up to her, pointing her fingers and laughing at her. Zainab was tired; she’d been ridiculed too often and for too long, and she could feel all the hurt and anger building up inside her. She grabbed a cutlass and struck out, hitting the head and the hand of her neighbour. She started bleeding and had to be taken to hospital. Later that day, Zainab was arrested for assault. She was detained in the Magburaka Correctional Centre for two weeks, without appropriate medical treatment or care.

Two weeks later, AdvocAid was finally able to get her out. Our Northern Province Paralegal, Nenny (pictured), met Zainab in the Correctional Centre and upon hearing her story instantly contacted the neighbour in question. Still furious and upset about her injuries, the woman was initially reluctant to discuss the matter but, thanks to Nenny’s explanation about epilepsy and about the hardships Zainab has gone through, she yielded. The following day she withdrew the charges and Zainab was free to go. Upon her release, Zainab asked AdvocAid to explain her condition to her community, so that they would finally stop making fun of her – a request that our social worker has been following up on.

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As cases like Zainab’s show, early intervention from a paralegal can make a huge difference in a destiny. Had it not been for Nenny’s mediation, Zainab might still be in detention.

On behalf of the women and girls we work for, thank you for helping us provide access to justice to those who need it most.

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* Names changed to protect clients’ identity.

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Police stations and Correctional Centres are poorly equipped in Sierra Leone. Police detention cells are overcrowded, with little or no light or access to food and water. In the Correctional Centres sanitary conditions are often poor, with basic food and water rations. Access to healthcare can be limited, with often Panadol the only drug available.

These conditions are challenging for any person, but can be particularly difficult for a person with an illness or health condition.

Hawa* has had diabetes for a long time. She had left it untreated, leading her to develop sore wounds on her feet. Walking, working and even sleeping became difficult. At this point, she knew she had to act. She didn’t have enough money to cover medical treatment, so she decided to ask her family for help, travelling from her home in Liberia all the way to Bo, in southern Sierra Leone, where they lived. Her hopes were soon shattered as her mother refused her any support. Out of desperation, Hawa took her stepfather’s phone and sold it to be able to cover her treatment. She was then arrested – not for theft or larceny, but for domestic violence. Sierra Leone’s definition of domestic violence includes economic violence, and it was argued she deprived her stepfather of his economic resources. The phone was worth 80,000 leones (approximately $8), but Hawa received a prison sentence of 18 months or a fine of 300,000 leones (approximately $30). With no money to pay for the fine, Hawa was detained in the Bo Correctional Centre.

Whilst in the Correctional Centre, Hawa’s condition worsened. She was still unable to access any treatment for diabetes and the wounds on her feet began to deepen. She felt abandoned and hopeless – on top of the medical neglect and pain she experience, she felt rejected by her family and relinquished to prison.

Our Programme Officer Jalahan is based in AdvocAid’s Kenema office, in eastern Sierra Leone, but regularly visits Bo Correctional Centre. During one such visit, she met Hawa. Jalahan fought hard for Hawa to be admitted to the government hospital. But even there, no insulin was available to treat diabetes. With thanks to donations AdvocAid receives through GlobalGiving, we were able to pay Hawa’s 300,000 leone fine, securing her release from prison. We were also able to provide her with a start-up grant, to contribute to the cost of medical treatment and help her travel back to her home in Liberia.

AdvocAid strives to divert as many women as we can from incarceration. In Hawa’s case, we did not meet her until after her trial and sentencing, but through the persistence of our Programme Officer we were able to secure her liberty and move forward.  

It is cases like Hawa’s that show that even small donations matter. In just the month of July this year, our paralegals and social workers took up the cases of over 50 women in conflict with the law, in cities across Sierra Leone. On behalf of the women and girls we work for, thank you for helping us provide access to justice to those who need it most. 

To get the latest news from AdvocAid, follow us on social media:

https://www.facebook.com/AdvocAidSierraLeone/

https://twitter.com/advocaid

https://www.instagram.com/advocaid/

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