PROJECT SUMMARY
|
Project name |
Improving Access to Justice in the Ethiopian Criminal Justice System, in Particular for the Poor, Women and Other Groups Living in Vulnerable Situations Through Access to Legal Aid and Assistance in Gamo, Gofa, Konso, Gardula, Burji, Alle, Koree and Basketo Zones of South Ethiopia Region |
|
Project short name |
legal-Aid |
|
Project phase |
I |
|
Partner(s)/ country(ies) |
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) |
|
AMU project coordinating office |
Legal Aid Center, School of Law, Arba Minch University |
|
Project type |
community development |
|
Project implementation location |
Arba Minch University Catchment Areas |
|
Target communities |
Gamo, Gofa, Konso, Gardula, Alle, Koree, Burji and Basketo communities |
|
Project coordinator |
Abreham Kinfe |
|
Project manager |
Getinet Debalke |
|
Principal investigator |
Mr. Dagnachew Worku |
|
Co-investigators |
Dr. V.P. Sam Ponniah and Dr. Belayneh Berhanu |
|
Total project budget (Euro) |
USD 79,500 |
|
Project start |
3-Feb-25 |
|
Project end |
31-May-26 |
|
Financial reporting period |
qurterly |
|
Project finance management office |
College finance & budget admin |
|
Progress reporting period |
monthly and qurterly |
|
Contact person (name and e-mail) |
Getinet Debalke ( |
|
Project description |
Access to justice is a fundamental human right that ensures individuals to seek remedies for grievances through formal or informal legal institutions. In southern Ethiopia, significant challenges limit the practical realization of this right, particularly for vulnerable populations such as the poor, women, and detainees. Factors like illiteracy, financial constraints, lack of legal awareness, and insufficient legal resources hinder equitable access to justice. Arba Minch University Legal Aid Centre has been addressing this gap by offering free legal aid services since 2010, serving economically disadvantaged individuals and victims of human rights violations. The services include legal consultancies, court representation, and legal education programs, with a focus on civil matters. Despite these efforts, access to justice in the region remains constrained by inadequate legal aid centers, limited public education, and shortage of trained legal professionals.
The proposed project by the AMU legal aid center will enhance the availability, accessibility, and quality of legal aid services and provide free legal assistance to vulnerable populations, including the poor, women, persons with disabilities (PWD), internally displaced persons (IDPs), and individuals involved in criminal proceedings, such as the arrested, accused, and detained, as well as victims and survivors of crime. The initiative emphasizes raising legal awareness and improving legal literacy by supporting activities like community outreach, mobile legal clinics, and the creation of beneficiary-specific legal information materials in Amharic or other relevant local languages. The formation of networks of legal aid practitioners and participation in capacity-building events and referral services are also key components to strengthen the impact of legal aid initiatives. The project will be given due priorities on expanding legal assistance through consultations, advice, and representation in criminal cases at all stages of the legal process, including pre-trial, investigation, and court appearances in the southern Ethiopia.
