Maslahaa

A powerful, heartbreaking non-fiction narrative, Maslaha exposes how the Gambian practice of maintaining community peace at all costs is weaponized to silence victims and protect perpetrators.

When a young schoolgirl suffers abuse at the hands of someone connected to her family, her cries for justice are buried under the cultural mantle of maslaha—a popular phrase used to avoid conflict and preserve public reputation. Cast aside by the society meant to protect her, she faces forced departure from school, harrowing childbirth complications, and overwhelming trauma, culminating in a devastating final choice that reveals the fatal cost of systemic silence.

Beyond one girl's tragic journey, Maslaha gives voice to the unheard: abused children, individuals with disabilities, and religious minorities lacking fair representation. It serves as a bold call to action for NGOs and government leaders to choose accountability over harmful complicity. Unflinching and deeply moving, this book demands true justice, proving that genuine harmony can never be built on the suffering of the innocent.