Violet Kawa, Sierra Leone section chair, with Irene Khan at the launch of the caravan
We are in the car, on the way to Makeni. The campaign launch went well yesterday – despite the looming rain clouds, it managed not to rain during the event.
There was a great vibe, with everyone enjoying the music being blasted from the caravan stage. The event started with an introduction from Violet, the Sierra Leone section chair, followed by a speech by Irene.
The most emotional moment was when Irene asked the crowd to raise their hands if they had lost a woman to maternal mortality and there was a sea of hands.
The section delegates unveiled the caravan and the musicians performed the Amnesty International soundtrack, which was warmly received by the crowd. The play was also performed with the crowd cheering the actors on.
Continue reading ‘Sierra Leone caravan – an emotional launch and moving forward’
The rain came down like iron rods for hours.
Not an auspicious start for the launch of Amnesty International’s campaign to end maternal mortality in Sierra Leone. However, by early afternoon, the sun was beginning to peep through the dark grey clouds and steam rose from Freetown’s roads, as the puddles dried.
By 4pm, thousands of Sierra Leoneans, many dressed in yellow t-shirts bearing the “End Maternal Mortality in Sierra Leone” slogan had gathered at Bishop Johnson Memorial School ground. Most of the crowd were women and girls, and many were visibly pregnant.
Continue reading ‘Thousands unite to end maternal mortality in Sierra Leone’
Amnesty International Secretary General, Irene Khan, visited Princess Christian Maternity Hospital (PCMH) in Freetown on Sunday to understand the problems the Sierra Leone healthcare system faces in fighting death during childbirth.
Continue reading ‘Understanding the problems of Sierra Leone’s healthcare system’
The Bishop Johnson Memorial School, before the launch © Amnesty International
Khairunissa Dhala is a campaigner in Amnesty International’s Africa team.
After days, weeks and months of planning, the first day of the caravan and campaign launch on maternal mortality in Sierra Leone has arrived!
The event is being held at Bishop Johnson Memorial School, which is next door to Princess Christian Maternity Hospital (PCMH) and one of Freetown’s biggest slums called Moaf.
We hope to attract people from these areas as they are most affected by the issues surrounding maternal mortality.
We are expecting 5,000 people at the Freetown launch. The Sierra Leone section has spent the last few weeks
advertising the event in newspapers and on the radio and everyone is really excited.
Continue reading ‘Starting up the Sierra Leone caravan…’
Activists at a vigil held in support of Jayaprakash Sittampalam Tissainayagam. © Amnesty International
By Tim Molyneux, a volunteer working in Amnesty International’s Sri Lanka team.
On Wednesday 1 September, the Sri Lanka Team at Amnesty International’s International Secretariat organised a vigil outside Parliament Square in London. We gathered to protest against the sentencing of Jayaprakash Sittampalam Tissainayagam, known as Tissa to his friends and family, to 20 years ‘vigorous imprisonment’ by the Government of Sri Lanka.
Tissa has been named a Prisoner of Conscience by Amnesty International. We believe that he has been imprisoned simply for publishing articles critical of the Government of Sri Lanka.
Continue reading ‘Standing in Support of ‘Tissa’’
