By Ragan M. Conteh

During a press briefing organized by the Ministry of Information on Tuesday, April 22, 2025, at the Miatta Conference Hall in Freetown, Fatmata Claire Carlton-Hanciles, Executive Director of the Sierra Leone Legal Aid Board, shared key progress made by the institution over the past decade.

She extended gratitude to national leaders and institutions for supporting the justice sector, while emphasizing the role of the Legal Aid Board in expanding access to justice, especially for women and vulnerable groups in society.

She said many women still lack access to a fair legal representation in local courts, where noting that divorce and property rights remain contentious issues to resolve.

To counter these challenges, the Board has deployed para-legal wings across the country, particularly in areas where lawyers are barred from participating in local court proceedings.

These efforts are backed by the Legal Aid Act of 2012, operational since 2015 and modelled after systems in South Africa and Canada, she said.

Fatmata noted that over 2 million people have benefitted from legal aid services, and a recent World Bank study recognizes the board’s work and for saving up the government from spending about $20 million a year as legal expenses.

International bodies, including the UN General Assembly and the World Bank, she said, have acknowledged Sierra Leone’s legal aid model as a benchmark for all conflict and post-conflict nations.

Despite resistance from some traditional authorities, she affirmed the Legal Aid Board’s role in balancing local justice and formal legal systems.

Plans are underway for a National Justice Champions Award in December to honour those advancing access to justice nationwide, she said.

Fatmata ended his speech and called for continued government support and public awareness, adding that, currently, Sierra Leone’s legal aid efforts are gaining a momentum at home and abroad.