First (?) book on the 'new' Legal Empowerment? Access to Justice and Legal Empowerment (Meene and Rooij, 2008)

I just came across this title via an announcement email, but haven't had a chance to view or buy the book. In light of all the recent high level activity surrounding the Legal Empowerment of the Poor, it will be interesting to see what this book has to offer. Here is the official announcement:


Access to Justice and Legal Empowerment By Ineke Van De Meene, Benjamin Van Rooij:



This volume answers a number of basic questions about this new trend in legal development cooperation: reforms to improve poor people's access to justice and to promote their legal empowerment. How law can aid development has been the focus of much recent discussion among development workers, scholars and policy makers. Indeed, reforms to improve poor people's access to justice and to promote their legal empowerment comprise the latest trend in legal development cooperation. This volume answers a number of basic questions about this new trend, such as access to justice and legal empowerment entail and its importance; the obstacles the poor and marginalised face in seeking justice and empowerment through the legal system; and the reforms proposed by these approaches to legal development co-operation. Furthermore, it outlines important considerations for policymakers concerning access to justice and legal empowerment reforms.


Ineke van de Meene is member of the Van Vollenhoven Institute for Law, Governance and Development of Leiden University. Benjamin van Rooij is senior lecturer in law, governance and development at the Van Vollenhoven Institute, Faculty of Law, and Department of Chinese Languages and Cultures, Faculty of Arts, Leiden University.