By Kwame Yankson

Sierra Leone’s Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Hon. Joseph F. Kamara on 18th September, 2016 informed the world that Sierra Leoneans now have access to affordable legal representation through the Legal Aid Board. Speaking on the theme; Leveraging the SDGs for inclusive Growth: Delivering Access to Justice for All at the Westin Grand Central Hotel, New York, Hon. Kamara said his Ministry has trained paralegals to help bring justice to the door steps of the ordinary people. The Ministry uses traditional medium to communicate to vulnerable groups and Communities about their rights to justice under the law. ” I participate in town hall meetings in a bid to close the huge gap between the law and those the law seems to protect.” Kamara explained”.

Amidst thunderous applause,the Attorney General said women can no longer be disadvantaged by men in terms of devolution of estates, as the new Customary Marriage Act protects the rights of women in the event for example their husbands die.

Our revered Attorney General was speaking on a Pannel that comprised , Mr. Wolfgang Brandstetter. Federal Minister of Justice, Austria, Ms France’s Fitzgerald, Tanaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality, Ireland, Mr. Tshililo Masutha, Minister of Justice and Correctional Services, South Africa, Mr. Pablo Petrenko, Minister of Justice, Ukraine, Mr. Bill Baer, Principal Deputy Associate Attorney General. United States of America and Gabriel Ciguentes, Director of Justice, Security and Governance, Colombia.

The event which took place on the margins of the 71st UN General Assembly was moderated by Ms Zain Verjee former anchor and Senior CNN Correspondent.