Social Norms
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Social Norms
After nearly 28 years, The Communication Initiative (The CI) Global is entering a new chapter. Following a period of transition, the global website has been transferred to the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) in South Africa, where it will be administered by the Social and Behaviour Change Communication Division. Wits' commitment to social change and justice makes it a trusted steward for The CI's legacy and future.
 
Co-founder Victoria Martin is pleased to see this work continue under Wits' leadership. Victoria knows that co-founder Warren Feek (1953–2024) would have felt deep pride in The CI Global's Africa-led direction.
 
We honour the team and partners who sustained The CI for decades. Meanwhile, La Iniciativa de Comunicación (CILA) continues independently at lainiciativadecomunicacion.com and is linked with The CI Global site.
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Police Case Television Drama

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Launched in July 2012 in Sierra Leone, Police Case is a legal-themed television series which follows the story of Adama, a woman who is subject to regular domestic violence from her husband until one day she reacts after a particularly violent fight. The series follows Adama through the criminal justice system, educating viewers about key legal issues, such as rights when you are arrested, bail, rights at court, domestic violence, and the role of paralegals. A project of AdvocAid, produced by Concept Multimedia and supported by a number of different partners, the television series is supported by post-broadcast discussions and interactions through Facebook.

Communication Strategies

According to AdvocAid, the series is based on real life stories of women that AdvocAid has encountered through its work. The storylines were developed with input from former prisoners, sex workers, and law students. It is designed to provide insight into the plight of women in conflict with the law, as well as empowering audiences to know more about their rights. It also seeks to highlight some of the reasons that women come into conflict with the law, reasons often linked to poverty, abuse, or other circumstances that leave them vulnerable.

With the series, AdvocAid also wanted to start challenging assumptions that all people in conflict with the law are "bad" and highlight the need for prevention and protection programmes. For example, one woman in the series is a market woman who is arrested for owing money, a practice AdvocAid often comes across and which they say significantly harms women's role as economic actors and providers for their families. The series also hopes to provide the public with positive female role models, including a female paralegal and lawyer.

The show airs on the Sierra Leone Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) on Thursdays at 10pm with a repeat programme every Sunday at 8pm. After each episode, there is a live call-in discussion with a varied panel including police, AdvocAid lawyers, the justice reform organisation Timap for Justice, and the Anti-Corruption Commission. AdvocAid is also using the Police Case Facebook page to share legal information.

Development Issues

Rights, Women

Key Points

Founded in 2006, AdvocAid's aim is to strengthen access to justice, including an increased ability of women and childen to claim their rights and to empower them as active citizens through the provision of education, welfare and post-prison support.

According to AdvocAid, after one episode of Police Case they received 40 calls and 96 text messages in 30 minutes.

Partners

AdvocAid, Concept Multimedia, GIZ, Mama Cash, Open Society Foundations, Sierra Leone Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC), and the Sierra Leone Police.

Sources

Awareness Times, SOROS website, and AdvocAid website On September 7 2012.

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