Legal aid is the provision\r\nof free or subsidized legal services to mainly poor and vulnerable\r\npeople who cannot afford the services of paid lawyers. The\r\nright to legal aid is well entrenched in the International and Regional human\r\nrights treaty framework to most of which Uganda is a state party. The\r\nprovision of legal aid addresses\r\nthe concerns of the poor and vulnerable by focusing on challenges arising from:\r\naffordability of user costs, lack of legal representation, and alienation due to technicalities,\r\nlanguage and ignorance of legal rights.
Poverty,\r\nignorance of the law, the effect of armed conflict, disability or other\r\nvulnerability or marginalization are some of the factors that undermine access\r\nto justice for the majority of Ugandans. The provision of Legal Aid will greatly contribute to the empowerment of\r\nindividuals and communities – a key ingredient of poverty reduction efforts\r\nthereby contributing to economic development.
The provision\r\nof Legal Aid by the state will not only benefit particular affected individuals\r\nbut the state as a whole. It will reduce case backlog by ensuring that\r\nlitigants do not file frivolous cases. In turn, the time that would have been\r\nspent in the lengthy litigation process will be used to engage in productive\r\nactivities. The Government of Uganda banks on the agricultural sector to boost economic\r\ngrowth. Notably, Agriculture in Uganda is done in the rural areas\r\nby the people who are most affected by poverty. When these people interface\r\nwith the Justice system, they usually spend their little earnings, in the\r\nunpredictable and lengthy litigation. With legal Aid, such persons would be\r\ngiven appropriate legal advice, which would save their time and see them invest\r\ntheir energies in productive work.
About the Conference
Every year,\r\nwith support from Democratic Governance Facility (DGF) and the Justice Law and\r\nOrder Sector (JLOS), Justice Centres Uganda and other non-state actors under\r\nthe Legal Aid Service Provider’s Network (LASPNET) brings together key decision\r\nmakers to discuss Legal Aid service provision in Uganda and to track its\r\nprogress. This year’s conference is organized under the theme; "Sustainable\r\nFunding and Legal Aid Service Delivery by the State” and shall be held\r\nfrom August 9-10, 2015 at Speke Resort Munyonyo, Kampala. H.E the President of\r\nthe Republic of Uganda is expected to grace the occasion as the chief guest. By\r\ndrawing lessons from other Jurisdictions such as South Africa where the Legal\r\nAid scheme has worked excellently and with guidance from key stakeholders in\r\nthe Government of Uganda, participants will discuss the sustainability of a\r\nstate funded Legal Aid Body in Uganda.
Conference Objectives
The 3rd\r\nAnnual Legal Aid Conference is intended;
1) \r\nTo\r\ndiscuss the current efforts to establish a National Legal Aid body.
2) \r\nTo\r\ndiscuss the sustainability of a state funded Legal Aid Body.
3) \r\nTo\r\nshare the lessons and best practices learnt in Legal Aid service delivery.
Target Audience
The conference\r\nshall bring together key stakeholders, policy and decision makers in Uganda\r\nincluding representatives from the Executive, Parliament, Judiciary, other\r\nGovernment Diplomatic missions and civil society organisations among others.
For more\r\ninformation, Contact:
Justice\r\nCentres Uganda
National\r\nCoordination office.
\r\nChambers F6 and F8, High Court Building, Kampala.
\r\nP. O. Box 26365 Kampala
\r\nTel: Office: +256 414 256626
\r\nToll free line: 080 010 0210
Website:\r\nwww.justicecentres.go.ug
Media and Publicity:
EKuhimbisa@jlos.go.ug
Conference\r\nCoordination:
easiimwe@justicecentres.go.ug
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Posted 10th, August 2015
