The Director, Law Development Centre (LDC), Dr. Pamela Tibihikirra-Kalyegira, and the Head of the Austrian Embassy/Development Cooperation, Dr. Katja Kerschbaumer, have signed an MoU for a short-term project which will be implemented in September and October, 2025. The project focuses on equipping Bar Course students with practical skills and enhancing access to justice for the vulnerable, marginalised and accused persons in Uganda.
The goal of the project is to enhance access to justice and promote social justice by providing free legal aid services, promoting reconciliation, protecting the rights of women and girls, and building capacity of future legal professionals through practical training and mentorship.
The following were present at the signing of the MoU: The Chairperson, LDC Legal Aid Clinic Advisory Board, the Hon. Lady Justice Eva K. Luswata, Beate Farukouye, Governance Advisor, Austrian Embassy/Development Cooperation, Manager Legal Aid Clinic, Lydia Namuli, Susan Nabirye Senior Legal Officer/Executive Assistant to the Director, LDC and Hannah Bakula, Governance Trainee, Austrian Embassy/ Development Cooperation.
The project will be implemented in Northern Uganda, particularly Lira and Adjumani Districts because these areas face limited access to justice due to poor infrastructure, long distances from Kampala City, and limited legal aid services.
The objectives of the project are: to provide legal aid and promote alternative justice mechanisms, enhance access to justice, increase legal awareness in Lira and Adjumani about women and girls’ rights to land ownership and inheritance, and establish fast-tracking mechanisms to speed up resolution of petty cases and reduce case backlogs.
The activities will include: legal outreaches to police stations and prisons, provision of legal aid, promotion of Alternative Dispute Resolution, fast-tracking of petty offenses, training of Bar Course students in practical legal aid skills and raising community awareness on women and girls’ land and inheritance rights.
The target beneficiaries include: 300 adults, 50 juvenile petty offenders and 500 community members.
The LDC Legal Aid Clinic is mandated to provide free legal aid services and advice to vulnerable people and to equip students with practical legal skills.
By Frank Obonyo, Senior Public Relations Officer
