The initiative, implemented in partnership with the Clooney Foundation for Justice, forms part of FLAG’s nationwide campaign to improve access to justice for vulnerable groups through legal awareness, counselling and free legal assistance.
The outreach seeks to educate women and children on their legal rights, provide guidance on available legal remedies and ensure that victims of abuse and rights violations can access support without the financial and logistical barriers that often prevent them from seeking justice.
Speaking during the outreach, Yasin Senghore, Vice President of FLAG, said many women continue to endure abuse and discrimination in silence because they are unaware of where to seek legal assistance or fear the consequences of reporting violations.
“Many women suffer in silence simply because they do not know where to go when their rights are violated,” she said, urging participants to make use of the free legal services and share the information with family members, neighbours and others who were unable to attend.
She stressed that access to justice is a fundamental human right and that empowering women with legal knowledge enables them to protect themselves, their families and their communities.
Community leaders and youth representatives welcomed the initiative, describing it as a timely intervention that brings justice closer to the people.
Mustapha Tamba, Public Relations Officer of the Busumbala District Community, Child Rights Ambassador Kawsu O. Ceesay, and Captain Momodou Colley all commended FLAG for engaging communities directly, saying the outreach would help change attitudes and strengthen the protection of women and children’s rights.
They noted that educating women and girls about their legal rights is an investment in stronger families and safer communities.
“Taking legal services to the community gives people a greater opportunity to seek justice,” Tamba said.
He added that many young people often hesitate to travel to legal offices for assistance, but community-based outreach provides them with a safe and accessible platform to speak openly about the challenges they face.
Captain Colley said the sensitisation programme comes at a critical time when many communities are confronting growing social challenges, stressing that informed and empowered women are better positioned to contribute meaningfully to national development.
He also called on parents to play a more active role in protecting children by providing guidance and creating safe environments in which they can thrive.
The outreach received strong support from local leaders, including Busumbala Alkalo Omar Manneh, Village Development Committee Chairman Lamin Boyo Jatta, and community member Kaddy Manneh, who all encouraged participants to pass on the knowledge gained to others in their respective neighbourhoods.
They emphasised that protecting women and children should remain a national priority and pledged to spread the messages discussed during the forum through community meetings and bantabas.
The mobile legal aid clinic continued its outreach on Saturday with awareness sessions in Lamin and surrounding satellite communities as FLAG expands its efforts to make justice more accessible to all Gambians.
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