Legal Aid Project of the Uganda Law Society

The Legal Aid Project (LAP) was established by the Uganda Law Society in 1992, with assistance from the Norwegian Bar Association to provide legal assistance to indigent and vulnerable people in Uganda.
The Project was born out of the realization that apart form the state brief system that handles only capital offences, and the huge backlog of cases, there is no statutory free Legal Aid provision in Uganda despite the fact that a large part of Uganda's population lives below the poverty line, and without means to access justice. Todate, the project has helped and continues to help thousands of indigent men, women and children to realize their legal and Human Rights.

LAP has branches in Kabarole, Kabale, Masindi, Jinja, Gulu and Luzira with its head office in Kampala.

Vision

A Ugandan society where all Human Rights are respected, promoted and defended to ensure access to justice for all is a reality irrespective of gender, age, ethnicity, and religion or socio-economic status.

Mission

To become a leading provider of Legal services of choice in order to ensure access to justice for the poor and vulnerable people so as to promote the socio-economic development of Uganda.

Values

Respect for Human Dignity, Service Excellence, and Passion for Justice, and Equality of all persons before the Law, Accountability, Efficiency and Effectiveness, Integrity.

Objectives

• To provide High Quality Legal Aid Services to Indigent men, women and Children.

• To promote the respect for rights and the rule of Law in Uganda.

• To lobby and advocate for legislation and policies to act in favour of the poor at national, district and lower levels.

• To develop and strengthen management systems as well as general organizational development of LAP.

• To strengthen the governance of LAP in order to ensure good strategic leadership and direction by the board of trustees of the Legal Aid Project.

• To build mechanisms and aggressively mobilize resources to ensure financial sustainability of legal aid services in Uganda.

Programmes

• Provision of Legal Information and advice

• Mediation, Negotiation and other alternative dispute resolution services

• Court Representation

• Training Para Legals in areas where there is limited supply of Advocates

• Conducting Legal and Human Rights Awareness programs

• Production of Human and Legal Rights publication materials

• Lobbying and Advocacy for Pro poor Laws

• Research documentation and Dissemination.

Funding

LAP has since its inception been funded by the;

• NORAD through the Norwegian Bar Association.

• War Child Canada

• Information Counseling and Legal Services (ICLA)

Achievements

• Recognition of LAP by the government of Uganda as one of the leading Legal Aid Service providers in Uganda.

• Recognition by the Uganda Human Rights Network as one of the organisations leading the fight for respect of human rights in Uganda.

• Pioneering the prison decongestion programme in Uganda through the use of paralegals.

• Recognition and partnership with International Human Rights and bar Association including International Bar Association, War Child Canada, American Bar Association, Law Society of England and Wales, Norwegian Development Agency, Norwegian Bar Association, Danida, Austrian Development Agency (North South Institute)

• Promoted and protected the Rights of poor and vulnerable men, women, and children through seven countrywide legal Aid Clinics.

• Coordinated the national Baseline and needs analysis survey on Legal Aid provision in Uganda.