Our Programs
Sawabenu is dedicated to enhancing access to justice for marginalized communities in Liberia by increasing legal awareness, strengthening legal support, and fostering collaboration between statutory and customary justice systems. Through our innovative programs, we empower individuals—especially women and vulnerable groups—to understand and engage with the justice system. Our recent project, “Enhancing Access to Justice for Rural Communities in Liberia”, funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) through The Carter Center, highlights our commitment to legal empowerment. During the pilot phase, we implemented targeted initiatives that improved public knowledge of legal rights, increased engagement with justice actors, and provided direct legal support to those in need.
Legal Awareness & Community Engagement
Using local-language radio jingles, community meetings, and interactive dialogues, we educated citizens about their rights and the roles of law enforcement, courts, and the prison system. Pre- and post-evaluations showed a 92% increase in public understanding of legal procedures.
Mobile Legal Clinics
Deployed to underserved communities, the mobile clinic provided free legal aid and facilitated direct engagement between citizens and legal professionals. Sixty-nine (69%) of marginalized individuals accessed the clinic, with cases ranging from legal inquiries to direct legal representation
Justice Hotline Services
A dedicated phone service-connected citizens with volunteer lawyers and Community Justice Advisors (CJAs), offering legal advice and intervention. Seventy-one percent (71%) of hotline inquiries were fully addressed, and critical cases received legal representation.
Women’s Legal Empowerment
Through refresher and mentoring sessions, we deepened women’s knowledge of the justice system, helping them navigate legal challenges and assert their rights.
Strengthening Partnerships
Critical to community engagement was the establishment of partnerships with community radio stations in the counties to support the project. To ensure easy access and media buy-in, partnerships were established with Radio Gbaisue, Radio Kakata and OK FM. These partnerships led to the airing of the project radio jingles and facilitated the conduct of limited radio talk shows and interviews.