Name of project
The Legal Services Programme
The Legal Education Programme
The Publications Programme
Starting date
2007
Main objective
Amount contributed
SEK 4 750 000 (2007-2009)
Results
Sida´s support to LRF is through a core funding agreement amounting to SEK 4 750 000 for the period 2007-2009. Through its Legal Services Programme, LRF strives to facilitate increased access to justice for poor marginalised and vulnerable people. LRF has 29 offices across the country which managed to handle a total of 12,990 cases during their reporting year. Of these, 40% were in the urban areas and 60% and 60% in the rural areas. The most commonly occurring cases continued to be domestic violence and deceased estates, other cases included custody and statutory rape. The Legal Education Programme of LRF seeks to empower members of the community to assert their legal rights through increased knowledge. It also contributes to improved administration of justice by traditional leaders and magistrates through the raising of awareness of legal and constitutional rights. LRF conducted 1,578 educational sessions, 69% were conducted in rural areas and the total attendance was 103,499. Through this programme, LRF managed to network with other community based organisations. LRF managed to hold five workshops for teachers with a total attendance of 95, these workshops covered legal issues like inheritance, custody, birth certificates and marriages as well as focusing on forms of child abuse. More than 170 chiefs also attending 10 workshops organised by LRF for traditional leaders. These workshops were meant to capacitate the traditional leaders in their duties as judicial officers. LRF also produced 23 different pamphlets/posters on various legal issues and they were distributed widely. Ten paralegals received training at various levels and an annual workshop for lawyers was also held. The Publications Programme produces quality resources for the legal system and produced three serials, one book and three reprints and is working on other publications. LRF held a meeting to try and bolster the advocacy and research programme and plans are underway to strengthen it. LRF has managed to successfully implement its programmes with notable results under a very harsh environment.
General information