Uganda's JLOS Holds Workshop To Validate the National Legal Aid Policy

This is a cross posting from the DevLawGeek blog maintained by San:

I have just returned from Uganda where we work in partnership with JLOS, (Justice Law and Order Sector),  an umbrella organization of key government/quasi-government stakeholders in Uganda, for the coordination of access to and administration of justice, simply because these are areas of overlapping jurisdiction between so many actors. For practical (and maybe political?) purposes, it also acts as the channel for much international funding for Access To Justice and Democracy/Governance projects. It comprises of among others, the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs (MOJCA), Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA); The Judiciary; Uganda Police Force (UPF), and the Uganda Law Society. 

Uganda, like Rwanda, has been developing a policy document for legal aid, and we had the benefit of attending the stakholders' meeting and reviewing a draft of the document. One issue that we face in many countries, and in Africa in particular, is that legal aid is traditionally seen as free, and in fact, this has been encased in this document. So when we try to introduce an innovative fee-for-service model in legal service delivery for the poor (much like microfinance that charges fees and interests), we run into multiple issues on branding (are we a law firm?), 

Official Announcement from JLOS' website:

Legal Aid, including legal assistance is a cornerstone of the justice system and contributes to equitable access to justice by the whole community. Currently, legal aid service provision is restricted to mainly legal representation in certain criminal matters by the State and legal aid by non-state actors. The Justice Law and Order Sector is in the process of developing a comprehensive national policy on legal aid to provide the framework for the provision and regulation of legal aid services in Uganda, in line with Uganda’s national, regional and international obligations. The Sector procured a team of consultants who have prepared a draft policy proposal. It is anticipated that the policy will provide an overaching framework to guide legal aid service provision by the State and by Non-State actors.

The policy is expected to provide guidance on the determination of vulnerability and eligibility for legal aid services which is currently based on the policies of individual service providers. It will therefore lay the foundation for a comprehensive means and merit test. The Policy is also expected to provide the institutional framework for the regulation of legal aid service provision and for the delivery of legal aid services by the State and the basis for state funding for a national legal aid scheme .

The Justice, Law and Order Sector held a national validation workshop for the draft National Legal Aid Policy on Thursday 16th February 2012 at the Speke Resort Munyonyo. The meeting was officially opened by His Lordship, The Honourable, The Chief Justice of Uganda.
Legal Aid, including legal assistance is a cornerstone of the justice system and contributes to equitable access to justice by the whole community. Currently, legal aid service provision is restricted to mainly legal representation in certain criminal matters by the State and legal aid by non-state actors. The Justice Law and Order Sector is in the process of developing a comprehensive national policy on legal aid to provide the framework for the provision and regulation of legal aid services in Uganda, in line with Uganda’s national, regional and international obligations. The Sector procured a team of consultants who have prepared a draft policy proposal. It is anticipated that the policy will provide an overaching framework to guide legal aid service provision by the State and by Non-State actors.
The policy is expected to provide guidance on the determination of vulnerability and eligibility for legal aid services which is currently based on the policies of individual service providers. It will therefore lay the foundation for a comprehensive means and merit test. The Policy is also expected to provide the institutional framework for the regulation of legal aid service provision and for the delivery of legal aid services by the State and the basis for state funding for a national legal aid scheme .

The Justice, Law and Order Sector held a national validation workshop for the draft National Legal Aid Policy on Thursday 16th February 2012 at the Speke Resort Munyonyo. The meeting was officially opened by His Lordship, The Honourable, The Chief Justice of Uganda.
The policy is expected to provide guidance on the determination of vulnerability and eligibility for legal aid services which is currently based on the policies of individual service providers. It will therefore lay the foundation for a comprehensive means and merit test. The Policy is also expected to provide the institutional framework for the regulation of legal aid service provision and for the delivery of legal aid services by the State and the basis for state funding for a national legal aid scheme .
The Justice, Law and Order Sector held a national validation workshop for the draft National Legal Aid Policy on Thursday 16th February 2012 at the Speke Resort Munyonyo. The meeting was officially opened by His Lordship, The Honourable, The Chief Justice of Uganda.
The Justice, Law and Order Sector held a national validation workshop for the draft National Legal Aid Policy on Thursday 16th February 2012 at the Speke Resort Munyonyo. The meeting was officially opened by His Lordship, The Honourable, The Chief Justice of Uganda.

Enhancing access to justice for all persons is a key objective of the Justice Law and Order Sector. This includes enhanced physical access to Justice Law and Order Sector services and improved efficiency in service delivery. Access to justice however also entails special measures to ensure improved access to services by the most vulnerable members of the society.