Empowering Women Through Legal Knowledge: Sisterhood’s Legal Aid Programmes

Knowledge of the law is a powerful tool for claiming rights. Yet, for many women, a lack of legal awareness makes it difficult to seek justice, even when they experience injustice or violence. Through its legal aid programmes, Sisterhood works to change this reality by empowering women to understand their rights and take action to protect them.

Empowerment Begins with Knowing Your Rights

Over the years, our work has revealed that many women lack adequate knowledge of their human rights, fundamental rights guaranteed by the Constitution, and civil and political rights. In particular, awareness remains limited regarding the legal protections and remedies available to women who experience discrimination, violence, and other forms of injustice because of their gender.

Many women hesitate to report violence or abuse to the police, seek legal advice, or turn to the courts. Fear of social stigma, economic dependency, family pressure, concerns about their children's future, and a lack of understanding of legal procedures can all contribute to this reluctance.

In this context, raising women's awareness of their rights and helping them access legal assistance when needed are essential steps towards empowerment.

Legal Aid Clinics for Rural Women

Recognising this need, Sisterhood conducts legal aid clinics to improve legal awareness among rural women and strengthen their ability to claim their rights. Our work goes beyond providing information about the law. We seek to identify the real challenges women face and guide them towards appropriate legal assistance.

Through these programmes, we identified two women who had been abandoned by their husbands and were struggling to obtain maintenance for their daughters.

One daughter is autistic, while the other experiences childhood depression. In such circumstances, financial support is essential to ensure that children receive the care, treatment, and other support they need. However, for a woman who bears the responsibility of raising her children largely on her own, pursuing the necessary legal action to secure this support can be extremely difficult.

Legal Intervention and Tangible Outcomes

Sisterhood provided both women with legal advice and guidance on obtaining maintenance for their daughters.

In the first case, legal proceedings were initiated at the Galle District Court. As a result, the daughter is now receiving a monthly maintenance payment of LKR 25,000 from her father's side.

In the second case, a complaint was lodged with the Hikkaduwa Police Station. Following an investigation, an agreement was reached under which the daughter is receiving LKR 30,000 per month from her father's side. Sisterhood is now taking steps to file a case at the Galle District Court concerning the maintenance payments in this case as well.

These interventions demonstrate how legal knowledge, appropriate guidance, and access to support can help women secure their rights and protect the well-being of their children.

Women Who Know Their Rights, a Stronger Society

Sisterhood believes that women's empowerment is not simply about finding temporary solutions to their problems. It also means building their knowledge, confidence, and capacity to recognise their rights, refuse to remain silent in the face of injustice, and seek legal protection when necessary.

Knowing one's rights is not enough on its own. Women must also have access to the support, guidance, and social spaces necessary to exercise those rights in practice.

Through its legal aid clinics, Sisterhood remains committed to raising awareness among rural women, identifying the challenges they face, and helping them access appropriate legal assistance.

No woman should have to remain silent in the face of injustice simply because she does not know her rights or how to claim them. Every woman deserves access to legal knowledge, collective support, and the power to stand up for her rights.