International Development Law Organization
Somalia
Implementing Partner: 
University of Hargeisa Legal Aid Clinic
Sub-Project title: 
Access to Justice Project - Eastern Regions of Somaliland
Amount awarded: 
USD 773,500
Duration: 
September, 2021 to March, 2025

This sub-project seeks to improve the social contract through increased legitimacy of justice sector institutions in Somaliland. With the aim of improving processes for alternative dispute resolution (ADR) and increasing compliance with international human rights standards, the Legal Aid Clinic of the University of Hargeisa is working with the ADR Unit of the Ministry of Justice to increase protection, legal empowerment and access to justice for women and girls and facilitate dialogue between formal justice institutions on future collaboration with the ADR Centres established during the project. Other key activities under the sub-project include the delivery of training on ADR mechanisms to paralegals and on gender-based violence (GBV) legal frameworks and advocacy skills to human rights advocates; awareness-raising on basic legal information, and access to legal, medical and psychological services for women and girls, internally-displaced persons (IDPs) and minority communities that suffer marginalization; and provision of remote legal assistance to vulnerable people, including GBV survivors and IDPs. The implementing partner is also supporting the direct involvement of citizens in accountability processes by organizing a monthly justice forum in each Court User Committee in Somaliland bringing together formal justice chain actors with relevant community representatives, and by organizing court open days to improve transparency and public access to information.

Selection: 
Direct call