Legally Different®

The Right to Justice // Sabrina Mahtani - Human Rights Lawyer

Episode Summary

My guest is the incredible Sabrina Mahtani, a British/Zambian human rights lawyer specialising in women’s rights and social justice. Sabrina’s experience has involved working for the Rwandan war crimes tribunal, legal aid in Zambia and death row in Sierra Leone. She is a co-founder of AdvocAid and leads the access to justice programme for the Elders Foundation (founded by Nelson Mandela). Tune in for real life stories involving the deprivation of access to justice and true inspiration around carving a career path based on passion and purpose.

Episode Notes

What an inspiring woman Sabrina Mahtani is - words cannot do her justice. Sabrina is a British/Zambian human rights lawyer specialising in women’s rights and social justice.  She is so humble, courageous, uplifting and intelligent and is a truly inspiring female leader who’s in it for the greater good.

Sabrina’s experience has involved working for the Rwandan war crimes tribunal, legal aid in Zambia and death row in Sierra Leone. 

Sabrina is particularly passionate about helping women who have been unjustly criminalised as the result of patriarchal and archaic systems. One way she helps these women is via AdvocAid, an NGO that she founded with 3 other women which helps girls and women within the legal system of Sierra Leone. Amongst many notable accomplishments, AdvocAid has helped free 6 women from death row. 

Even beyond Sabrina’s day to day work, she is an admirable pioneer for female leadership and improved opportunities and access for black and ethnic minority people into the legal profession.

This episode is for those truly curious about real life stories of injustice, trials and triumphs. Sit back with an open heart and get ready to be inspired!

// Please note that Sabrina speaks entirely in a personal capacity in this episode and not on behalf of any organisation //

EPISODE SUMMARY:-

• Sabrina’s path into law, ignited upon witnesses her father’s arrest.
• Experience within the Rwandan war crimes tribunal and domestic prisons in Sierra Leone including stories of women criminalised for poverty and abuse.
• The work that AdvocAid and the Elders Foundation do.
• AdvocAid’s grassroots response to COVID-19.
• Sabrina’s proudest success involving a death row case.
• Self care and dealing with the pressures of this work.
• What real female leadership involves.
• How access to justice can really be improved in the world.
• How the legal sector can improve access to legal careers in a real way for black and ethnic minority groups
• Takeaway advice – what Sabrina would tell the younger version of herself wandering around a careers fair………

CONTACT INFO + LINKS

Sabrina and the organisations she works with:-

• Connect with Sabrina via her twitter account @Sabrina_Mahtani.
• AdvocAid - find out more here, DONATE or APPLY for an intern / volunteer role.
• The Task Force on Justice Report referred to at 42 mins can be found here.
• The COVID Justice Fund can be found here.

Legally Different:-

• Instagram: @legallydifferent 
• Email: hello@legallydifferent.com

Thanks

Lauren 💛💫