Under this project, LAF will partner with universities with courses in the field of law and different lawyers to ensure successful implementation within five years. Targeted beneficiaries are in the first and second socio-economic class in Kigali who will receive pro bono legal services.
The project is also expected promote the resolution of disputes through mediation.
Residents will be enlightened on their rights in court cases following revelations that some of them do not get fair justice or fail to make follow up over lacking legal literacy.
“Legal representation is normally estimated to cost Rwf500, 000 and might increase due to the nature of a court case but residents from targeted categories will be assisted for free. We will also conduct legal awareness because some of them do not know laws protecting them,” said Lawyer Andrews Kananga, the Executive Director of LAF.
He went on to explain that the free services will be extended to priority cases involving people with disabilities, children, victims of gender-based violence and vulnerable people.
The project to will rolled out in partnership with lawyers and law students in Rwanda to strengthen the rule of law and get hands on experience.
Rhodam Kubwayo Gakwaya, a student pursuing Master’s at Kigali Independent University (ULK) commended the program that will help vulnerable people get fair justice and pledged his contribution to support the good cause.
Lawyer Johnson Kabera who heads Rwanda Bar Association’s commission in charge of providing legal aid to vulnerable people said that the project will complement existing efforts to ensure access to justice among poor members of the community.
Narcisse Mupenzi, Community Justice Analyst/Senior State Attorney at the Ministry of Justice has said that vulnerable Rwandans are helped to access free legal aid services through collaboration with different partners.
“This project has a great significance because it comes in handy to complement efforts of the government which allocates a budget to enhance universal access to fair justice. It will mainly help us to bridge the gaps related to financial constraints,” he explained.
Mupenzi revealed that 95 per cent of vulnerable people in Rwanda are getting legal aid.
Over 600 vulnerable people are supposed to get legal aid by 2024 under this project.
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