RFK CENTER MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN CHAD

Sushetha Gopallawa
Program Director, Center for Human Rights

I recently traveled to Chad to visit our 2004 Human Rights Award Laureate, Delphine Djiraibe, and help her expand the project that is at the core of her work: the Public Interest Law Center (PILC).

Creating PILC, the first organization of its kind in Chad, was a longtime dream for Delphine. With the RFK Center's assistance, she was able to open the doors of PILC in May 2007.

Today, Delphine's center has become a vital resource in the lives of Chadian women. PILC provides pro-bono and low-cost legal services to the poor and "know your rights" trainings for women in local communities. PILC now serves more than 200 clients, dealing with the issues Chadians  face every day: child custody, domestic violence, spousal support, rape, defamation, and wrongful termination.

PILC has also taken on larger cases with a lasting impact. To give just  one example, PILC is working to stop the illegal eviction of 80 women-led households by authorities in N'Djamena, Chad's capital. Authorities are trying to remove the families to make way for a development project.

While in Chad, I attended the graduation ceremony for the very first class of PILC-trained paralegals. These 19 women will now return to their communities, providing the poor with legal services and referring cases back to PILC. Trainees are often learning about their basic rights for the very first time. One trainee told me, "I could not imagine that I have an option under the Chadian law to refuse polygamy. I don't even know that I can have a marriage contract in which I can freely chose to manage my relationship with my husband when it comes to wealth. Thanks to PILC now I know, for me it is late but I will ensure my daughters understand that."

"I am really moved by the training," another said. "I am living in a situation that is a total mess and I did not know this. From now on, I better know my rights and duties and I will stand up for them. I will keep what the trainers have given me as a weapon to fight back injustice."

Delphine's accomplishments at PILC have not come easily. Tasks that seem simple, such as acquiring basic supplies and access to electricity, telephone and Internet service, and even drinking water, often present great challenges. With the precarious security situation in Chad, Delphine puts her life at risk by standing up for the rights of poor women. Once the RFK Center had to help her escape the country as human rights defenders were being targeted by the government.

But the danger doesn't stop Delphine from her work. Following her evacuation,  she told me, "I left because I feared for my life. I came back because I want to continue my work and to keep PILC running. I have to work and be on the ground in order to give people some kind of hope."

With the help of the RFK Center and our supporters, PILC continues to grow, expanding its geographic reach within Chad. Delphine and I have created a three-year action plan that maps out how the organization will grow, offering more services to more people.

The RFK Center was a critical partner in helping create PILC, and we will continue to help as long as Delphine needs our assistance. Personally for me, working so closely with Delphine at the grassroots level and helping her to overcome every challenge to make PILC a reality has been a privilege.

Robert F. Kennedy once said, "Few will have the greatness to bend history itself; but each of us can work to change a small portion of events, and in the total of those acts will be written the history of our generation." Though there are still many more obstacles in Delphine's way, she has made groundbreaking progress. I have tremendous confidence in Delphine and what we can accomplish at PILC for the people of Chad.