The Advocates' work in Sierra Leone

The team meets with Joseph Kobba, Senior State Counsel in the Ministry of Justice. The Ministry of Justice played a role in advising the Special Court on challenges to its jurisdiction before the Supreme Court of Sierra Leone.

The team interviews Chief Justice Alhaji Dr. A.B. Timbo of the Supreme Court of Sierra Leone, who was appointed to his position in May 2002 by President Kabbah.

Members of the team speak with an advisor to the Minister of Mineral Resources. Sierra Leone is part of a rough diamond certification process called the Kimberly Process Certification Scheme, which has helped to reduce smuggling. According to Partnership for Africa-Canada, official diamond exports increased from nearly zero to $75 million between 1999 and 2003.

The team interviews Bernadeth Lahai, a Member of Parliament from the Kenema district. Eighteen of the 124 Members of Parliament, or 14%, are women. Of those eighteen women, two are paramount chiefs from the south and east of Sierra Leone.

Over thirty organizations work together as the Coalition for Justice and Accountability (COJA). Originally called the Special Court Working Group, COJA worked with No Peace Without Justice to advocate for the Special Court for Sierra Leone. Today, COJA works to monitor the Special Court, educate the community on the Special Court's work, abolish the death penalty and conduct rapid response outreach.

A The Advocates volunteer meets with members of the Coalition for Justice and Accountability. Representatives of both the amputees' association and the movement to end female genital mutilation (FGM) are pictured here.

The team meets with Zaimad Bangura, one of the founders of the Campaign for Good Governance and a women's rights advocate. Ms. Bangura was a candidate in Sierra Leone's last presidential race and ran on a platform that emphasized human rights.

The team interviews residents of am amputee camp in Kono District. The interviewees were all victims of an RUF practice of amputating fingers and hands.

Team members interview with officers of the Sierra Leone Amputees Association.

Judge Princess Christine Tita and staff from the Women's Helpline, an NGO that provides assistance to victims of domestic violence. The widespread sexual violence during the war has led to an increase in women's advocacy groups.

Deputy Director Jennifer Prestholdt is interviewed for Women's World on national television about The Advocates' work.

Members of the team meet with the Sierra Leone Bar Association. It is estimated there are 100-120 lawyers in Freetown, 30 of whom are women.

Members of the The Advocatesinterview psycho-social advisors (PSAs) who work with the Center for Victims of Torture in Kono. The PSAs provide individual and group therapy to children and adults who were victims of torture during the war.

The team meets with staff of the Center for Victims of Torture (CVT) in Koidu, also known as the Mental Health Group. With the help of 17 trained professionals, CVT helps restore dignity to torture victims through counseling.

On the return from Sierra Leone, team members stopped in The Hague for an interview with the International Criminal Tribunal for Yugoslavia. The team sought to gain another perspective of transitional justice from a different type of criminal court.