Access to Justice
Supporting paralegals, legal aid and mediation structures so that universal, affordable, quality justice is achieved.
Why access to justice matters
Rwanda's Constitution protects fundamental human rights, supported by the rule of law, good governance and due process. Yet the justice sector still faces serious challenges: the persistence of genocide ideology, a lack of affordable and accessible justice for all, limited legal advice, aid and representation, and a large case backlog that includes many family disputes.
Gaps also remain in public knowledge of rights and procedures, and in interest-based justice. This applies to citizens and to officials of the Justice, Reconciliation, Law and Order Sector (JRLOS), especially in rural areas.
The inability to resolve legal problems diminishes access to sustainable livelihood opportunity, reinforces the poverty trap, and undermines human potential and inclusive growth.
Our approach
TA believes social justice cannot be achieved without strengthening justice and alternative dispute resolution mechanisms. TA therefore supports paralegals to provide legal aid and strengthens mediation structures, so that universal and affordable quality justice is achieved.
This work is closely linked to TA's focus on ADR & Conflict Prevention.
Our objectives to 2030
- TA and partners jointly organize human rights policy and law capacity-development sessions for 100% of organization focal persons and at least 60% of citizens in the operational area.
- 60% of the legal issues and people-focused concerns citizens raise about legal policy and law implementation are advocated for with duty bearers at local and national level.