01 ______ LAP-ULS Strategic Objective 4Strategic Objective 4: Increase access to Justice for Indigent, marginalized and vulnerable Persons in Uganda
Outcome 1: Increased access to Quality Legal Aid and Advisory Support Services to Indigent Marginalized and Vulnerable Persons.
The LAP-ULS in a bid to achieve increased access to quality legal aid and advisory support services for the indigent, marginalized and vulnerable persons maintained 23 established clinics through which the services were provided. Six clinics located in Kampala, Jinja, Masindi, Gulu, Kabarole and Kabale received financial support from the IDLO; Four clinics of Mbarara, Soroti, Luwero and Luzira, as well as the Pro-bono project received financial support from the Netherlands Embassy in Kampala;
- Ninesatellite clinics of Abim,
- Amuria, Kaberamaido,
- Nakapiripirit, Nabilatuk,
- Amudat,
- Pader,
- Gulu
- and Kitgum received support from UN Women.
In Mid-2023, the LAP-ULS was able to secure a partnership with the Embassy of Ireland in Uganda, and the financial support from the Embassy went towards three clinics in the Karamoja region in districts of Moroto, Kotido and Nakapiripirit. In addition, the LAP-ULS implemented activities geared at enhancing access to justice for refugees and host communities in West Nile and Mid-Western Uganda supported by IRC, DRC, NRC and ALIGHT- Uganda. It also had an intervention supported by UNODC aimed at decongesting the detention facilities. The project worked with community-based paralegals to extend basic legal aid services to the communities which are beyond the physical reach of the project due to resource constraints.
02 ______ LAP-ULS Strategic Objective 41.1: Legal Representation and Advisory Support Services through Legal Aid Clinics
Through the established legal aid clinics, a total of 26,294 people benefitted from services including legal representation in court, use of ADR/mediation to settle disputes, offering legal advice and counseling, referral to other partners, mobile clinics, and visits to detention facilities. The clinics attended to both civil and criminal matters as presented by clients. A total of 3,482 people had their legal matters resolved (1,827 through ADR/mediation and 1,655 in courts), 87 matters remained pending mediation, 1,045 cases remained pending in courts while 10,666 people were given legal advice and referred to other service providers.
Of the cases handled during the year, Criminal cases had the highest percentage at 40% (10592/26294) followed by GBV cases which included economic violence cases, physical violence, sexual violence, emotional violence and harmful traditional practices with a total of 7,413 cases accounting for 28.1%, Custody and maintenance cases at 1,637(6.2%) and Administration of Estates cases at 1,135 (4.3%). The other cases included divorce and separation, debt claims, employment claims and accident claim among others.