Justice Centres Uganda Partners: Interest Groups

Interest Groups

JCU and likeminded partners are working together to advocate and push legal aid efforts at the national and regional levels.

The cooperation with interest groups propells the impact of JCUs endeavors to facilitate access to legal aid for the indigent and vulnerable.

Justice Centres Uganda outreach

We are working with:

Legal Aid Service Providers Network

JCU and LASPNET are part of a task force that was set up to advocate for the passing of the National Legal Aid Bill. In addition to meeting specific members of parliament to create awareness about the Bill and get their support, the task force met with the Speaker of Parliament to deliberate on the progress of the enactment of the Legal Aid Law.

The member organizations of the task force are: Public Interest Law Clinic (PILAC), Uganda Law Society (ULS), Foundation for Human Rights Initiative (FHRI), Law Development Centre (LDC), Uganda Christian Lawyers Fraternity (UCLF), Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) and JCU.

JCU and LASPNET sometimes undertake joint public education and sensitisation about access to justice for the indigent, vulnerable and marginalised. Various media platforms like radio or TV to lobby and advocate for policy changes and to influence and push the discourse for passing the Bill are being utilised for joint activities.

Furthermore, LASPNET organises workshops on key access to justice issues for example execution of court orders, paralegal regulations, etc., where JCU participates. 

And last but not least, JCU receives clients referred by LASPNET.

Public Interest Law Clinic

PILAC was established at the School of Law, Makerere University. PILAC seeks to promote hands-on experiential learning as well as exposing students to ‘live’ cases of individuals who have been confronted by the law in its varied manifestations.

PILAC has established a Clinical Legal Education (CLE) programme which is a hands-on learning programme intended to equip law students with public interest lawyering skills.

PILAC, on behalf of Network of Public Interest Lawyers (NETPIL), has a Partnership with JCU. The main purpose of this partnership is to promote the mentorship programme of young lawyers interested in public interest lawyering. 

Under this partnership, JCU provides mentorship opportunities for fresh graduates from the Law Development Centre who are recommended by PILAC.

Last but not least PILAC is part of the task force to push for the passing of the Legal Aid Bill.

Uganda Law Society

The professional body for lawyers in Uganda, represents the interests and ensures professional development and ethical conduct of its members.

The Legal Aid Project (LAP) was established to provide legal aid to the vulnerable and indigent. The Uganda Law Society is one of the organizations that are undertaking advocacy for the passing of the National Legal Aid Bill.

JCU and the Legal Aid Project of the Uganda Law Society both provide legal aid. They both have offices located in various districts across the country. The offices of the Legal Aid Project are located in Kabale, Kabarole, Gulu, Masindi, Moroto, Kampala, Jinja, Arua, Mbarara, Patongo and Soroti. There are usually cross referrals between JCU and the Legal Aid Project (LAP). 

 

Federation of Women Lawyers 

FIDA is a civil society legal aid service provider whose focus is access to justice for women and children. It is an NGO that promotes and defends human rights, with a focus on the rights of women with children as beneficiaries of this work. It uses multiple strategies aimed at advancing law and policy reform for the protection of women including advocacy, public interest litigation and various forms of public engagement.

JCU and FIDA-Uganda undertake cross referrals of cases that involve providing legal aid to indigent, vulnerable and marginalized women. Last but not least FIDA is part  of the task force to push for the passing of the Legal Aid Bill