2006 Press Releases

U.S. Funds Democracy and Human Rights Projects

Freetown

August 3, 2006

Contact: Public Affairs Officer

Tel: 226481

On August 3, 2006, American Ambassador Thomas N. Hull granted Le 267,775,000 (approx $ 90,000) to Sierra Leonean civil society organizations for projects funded by the Ambassador’s Democracy and Human Rights Fund (DHRF) based on a competition for proposals to promote democracy, advocate against human right abuses, and serve as a watch dog on governance issues.
The five organizations awarded grants are Timap for Justice, the Sierra Leone Court Monitoring Group, Prison Watch Sierra Leone, Center for Media Education and Technology (C-MET), and Pampana Communications.  Two grants will improve access to justice for Sierra Leoneans, one will address prison conditions, another will strengthen journalism, and the fifth will provide civic education for Sierra Leonean voters ahead of next year’s elections.
 To improve access to justice, Timap for Justice, which offers free legal services in Bo, Moyamba, and Tonkolili districts, will extend its services to three more chiefdoms and equip paralegals to facilitate alternative means of dispute settlement to reduce pressure on the justice system.  The Sierra Leone Court Monitoring Group will use its grant to establish regional offices in Makeni and Bo to strengthen its coverage of court proceedings and administration nationwide. The Prison Watch Sierra Leone grant will monitor prison conditions for compliance with international standards, and will advocate for necessary improvements by prison authorities.
C-MET will use its funds to produce two editions of the Sierra Leone Journalism Review to create a forum to analyze, debate, and monitor media’s crucial role in the country’s democratization.   Pampana Communications will use community theatre to reduce political ignorance and gullibility by raising public awareness of voter’s rights and issues.