Title: AdvocAid welcomes new Executive Director and Legal Officer
Year: 2020

AdvocAid is pleased to announce the arrival of our new Executive Director, Rhiannon Davis, who took up the role in December 2019. In addition, we are also proud to welcome Lydia Kembabazi as our Legal Manager.

Rhiannon Davis and Lydia Kembabazi at AdvocAid’s Freetown Office

Rhiannon Davis, brings 15 years of experience in strategic communications and campaigns across corporate, political and not for profit sectors to the role. 

AdvocAid is at an exciting time in its development, with significant new funding, projects and partnerships, and Rhiannon’s experience will be an asset to our growing organisation.  

She is passionate about supporting women’s empowerment and on joining the team, Rhiannon said: 

“I always thought that AdvocAid achieves an incredible amount for a small organisation.  As a committed feminist, I am honoured to join its team and give my best to furthering access to justice for women and girls in Sierra Leone.” 

She is joining our team after Rebecca Wood’s term as Executive Director. We thank Rebecca warmly for her meaningful and long-lasting contribution to AdvocAid and wish her the best for her journey onwards Rebecca Wood, former Executive Director, said:

“I am delighted to have passed over the mantle to Rhiannon. She will lead AdvocAid with determination and thoughtfulness, continuing our work with women and girls in the criminal justice system and ensuring the team and organisation is well-supported. I will continue to assist AdvocAid during this transition in any way I can.” 

Our Legal Manager, Lydia Winyi Kembabazi, is an an accomplished lawyer with over 10 years of experience managing legal aid programmes across the African continent. Her work spans from human rights protection to legal aid, public interest litigation, legislation drafting and policy reform. Lydia will be overseeing our dedicated legal team of paralegals and duty counsel lawyers working across the country. She is particularly passionate about defending women’s human rights, and brings excellent management skills to the role. 

Lydia said:

“AdvocAid’s mission really resonated with me and I am so happy to join the team. I am particularly looking forward to supporting AdvocAid’s work on police accountability and its campaigns against the death penalty.”

– ENDS – 

AdvocAid works with marginalised women and girls caught up in Sierra Leone’s legal system. Founded in 2006, it is the only organisation in Sierra Leone providing a holistic service including free legal representation, education, welfare and rehabilitation support to women and girls in contact with the law. AdvocAid works in eight towns across Sierra Leone to ensure women and their children have access to justice, are educated on their legal rights and offered rehabilitation support upon release. 

For more details on our activities, please visit our website http://advocaidsl.org/ or drop us an email at info@advocaidsl.org.