AdvocAid to Launch Second Series of Educational TV Drama Police Case 2
26 October 2015: Today, AdvocAid have unveiled plans for the launch of Police Case II on both TV and Radio, the follow-up to their highly successful four part 2012 legal educational drama.
Due on air in October 2015, Police Case II consists of eight episodes that each aim to not only entertain their audience, but also provide them with vital information about their legal rights within the criminal justice system, and ensure girls and women are linked with organisations that can offer legal support and assistance.
The series, set in Freetown, deals with practical legal issues that mainly impact on the lives of vulnerable women and girls. Each of the eight episodes focusses on a specific legal issue ranging from Ebola regulations and sexual and gender-based violence, to loitering, traffic Laws, Infanticide, child trafficking larceny and debt.
The story lines have been carefully scripted to be accessible to viewers and listeners, with the intention that through creating familiar scenarios, the audience will recognise how to act in the future with their new found legal understanding.
AdvocAid has worked in partnership with the UNDP, EU and the British Council Sierra Leone to bring this project to fruition, using focus groups to establish the most common legal issues to educate on, and the best story lines to ensure the series remains gripping and entertaining, as well as educational.
As Sonia Williams, Acting Director of AdvocAid points out: “We hope that our audience will recognise the situations as common occurrences, especially for women and girls. It is our hope that by dramatizing scenarios, audiences will learn about the laws, understand what to do if they fall into conflict with the law, and hopefully enjoy the productions at the same time. Unfortunately, within Sierra Leone, a number of laws are gender discriminatory, resulting in a legal system where women are disadvantaged and under-represented. AdvocAid seeks to find the best possible ways through which to support women, educate them, and in turn advocate for changes to these laws.
The films are shot in Krio with English subtitles, whilst the radio programmes will be aired solely in Krio.
Simon Ingram-Hill, Director of the British Council Sierra Leone underlines: “The Radio and Television are such important forms of media in Sierra Leone – a country that despite making great strides to develop its educational infrastructures, continues to have just 43% literacy levels. Through Police Case II, we hope to reach as many women and girls as possible with these important legal messages, along with their families and wider communities, in a way that is accessible and informative.”
The first series of Police Case, aired in 2012, received a positive response from the public, with viewers providing feedback via SMS including: “I will take the message to my village”; “It is really educative, I only hope you will continue with more episodes”; “The programme helps us to understand police issues”; and “such a great educational tool”. Series One was proudly nominated for an Innovating Justice Prize in 2012.
Police Case II will start airing on SLBC in October 2015.
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Our thanks to the following funders that have made the production of Police Case possible.
