Mother Earth Trains Grassroots Activists On Environmental Rights & Legal Empowerment

Mother Earth for Climate Justice, in collaboration with Civicus and supported by the NORAD Civic Space Grants, has concluded a legal environment workshop aimed at empowering grassroots environmental defenders and legal activists across Sierra Leone.
Held at the Council of Churches in Sierra Leone (CCSL) Hall under the theme “Protecting the Environment is Protecting Lives,” the training focused on promoting access to justice, defending civic space, and advancing environmental rights in communities most affected by climate change.
Mother Earth for Climate Justice is a youth-led nonprofit organization based in Sierra Leone, committed to protecting environmental rights, promoting climate justice, and empowering communities through legal action and sustainable solutions.
In his opening remarks, Mucktarr Raschid, Co-founder and Executive Coordinator of Mother Earth for Climate Justice, emphasized that the initiative is timely, given the increasing threats to human rights associated with environmental activism.
“This program empowers defenders to understand the legal mechanisms available to them when their rights are violated in the course of protecting the environment,” Raschid noted. He added that the training would strengthen the capacity of environmental defenders to document human rights violations and report them to appropriate authorities.

Raschid also highlighted the organization’s recent efforts, including youth training sessions on plastic waste management, which remains a growing concern for ecological sustainability in Sierra Leone.
Describing the organization as a youth-led movement that champions the rights of climate-vulnerable communities, Raschid called on the public to support the creation of networks dedicated to environmental protection.
“You cannot protect the environment if you are not empowered,” he stressed. “The environment is a critical part of our natural resources. We have a duty to protect it from existential threats like land grabbing and the encroachment of protected areas for industrial or government use.”
The workshop introduced participants to key international treaties, charters, and protocols, alongside domestic laws relating to environmental and human rights protections.
Legal expert Alpha Umaru Bah, in his presentation, acknowledged the significant gap between legislation and enforcement in Sierra Leone. “We have good environmental laws, but enforcement remains a challenge,” he said.
Bah emphasized the importance of conducting Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) prior to the commencement of mining and other extractive activities, which he noted have already caused widespread environmental degradation across the country.
He reminded participants that citizens have the right to report environmental violations to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and, when necessary, seek legal redress through the courts.
“A healthy environment is essential for a long and productive life,” Bah stressed. “If the water is not safe, it results in widespread health problems. Justice must be accessible to all not just the wealthy.”
According to the World Health Organization, an estimated 12.6 million people globally died in 2012 due to living or working in unhealthy environments nearly one in four of all global deaths. In Sierra Leone, over 50% of rural communities lack access to clean water, often relying on contaminated surface sources and unprotected wells, leading to waterborne illnesses and high mortality rates.
Additionally, land disputes are among the top five causes of local conflict in Sierra Leone, often escalating into violence and hindering peace, development, and security.
Speaking at the workshop, Mariam Fatima Kabiru Mansaray urged rights activists to always operate within the bounds of the law when protecting both human and environmental rights. “The environment is key to our existence,” she said, calling on participants to adopt international best practices in environmental protection.
She concluded by encouraging legal compliance as a foundation for sustainable advocacy.
The training ended with a strong call for unity in the fight for environmental justice. “We are not alone we are together in this fight,” concluded Raschid. “Protecting the environment is protecting lives.”