Legal Aid & Empowerment

LAW works with partners to increase rights awareness and knowledge of avenues for legal redress. Under international law, all people have the right to enforce their fundamental rights and freedoms through the legal systems of their state. People living in conflict contexts are both particularly vulnerable to human rights violations and unable to access legal redress for those violations. The provision of legal assistance to such people counters the perception of helplessness and vulnerability.

LAW empowers individuals and communities to recognise and assert their legal rights by working with them closely to facilitate their meaningful access to justice. To do this, LAW provides services within two main activity groups – first legal empowerment and information; and second legal advice and representation.

• Providing legal information to communities affected by human rights violations and abuses through grassroots knowledge sharing services. 
• Promoting and supporting survivor advocates to advocate for their own community. 
• Community based protection through capacity building and network building. 

• Providing legal advice tailored to the specific legal needs of individuals and groups. 
•  Developing creative and participatory accountability strategies pursuing the kind of justice  and result that the survivors and victims want. 
• Representing survivors and victims in strategic litigation cases,  at multiple and varied national and transnational justice forums, in accordance with their self–identified priorities.   

Read about LAW’s recent work in legal aid and empowerment providing representation to Rohingya survivors of the 2017 clearance operations in Myanmar here.