LASPNET supported by IDLO to strengthen capacity of LASPs in legal aid service delivery

11 August 2020 -

Written by Laspnet

On 25th June 2020, LASPNET formally welcomed on board a new Development Partner - the International Development Law Organization (IDLO). IDLO is the only inter-governmental organization exclusively devoted to promoting the rule of law.

Uganda is a member party of IDLO. Under this partnership, LASPNET received a total amount of UGX 332,013,301 (Three Hundred Thirty-Two Million Thirteen Thousand Three Hundred One Shillings) to implement a one-year Project titled “Supporting Legal Aid Service Providers (LASPs) to enhance access to justice for the poor, vulnerable and marginalized in Uganda.”

The LASPNET project is part of the wider Community Justice Programme (CJP) being implemented by IDLO with financial support from the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida). The CJP seeks to enhance the accessibility, quality and sustainability of justice services delivered at the national and community levels in Uganda. Under the CJP, IDLO is providing financial and technical support to several organizations including LASPNET, Uganda Law Society (ULS) and FIDA Uganda. An additional seven non-state partners will also be selected in the course of the year. Similar financial and technical support is also being provided by IDLO to state Justice, Law and Order Sector (JLOS) institutions.

LASPNET as an Implementing Partner of IDLO’s CJP in Uganda, will implement a series of interventions anchored under IDLO Strategic Plan (2017-2020) towards strengthened delivery of quality services for LASPs; improved coordination of legal aid response to communities and strengthened capacity of LASPNET Secretariat to execute its mandate. The project interventions will translate into several project outputs including:

Dissemination of standardized legal aid resource materials to facilitate legal empowerment.
Equipped LASPs with knowledge on project management in a bid to strengthen their delivery mechanism.
Improved IIMS and feedback mechanisms through reporting and documentation of cases.
Enhanced Information sharing amongst LASPs.
Strengthened LASPNET Secretariat Human resource.

In the partner’s virtual inception and induction meeting held on 23rd June 2020, IDLO pledged both its technical and financial support to its Implementing Partners to ensure successful implementation of their respective projects. The meeting also included representatives of three non-state institutions that are being funded by IDLO under its Global Regulatory and Fiscal Capacity Building Programme on Promoting Healthy Diets and Physical Activity (Global RECAP). The Implementing Partners were taken through IDLO expectations especially on reporting, financial management and accountability. Speaking at the meeting,Mr. Felix Kyalo, the IDLO Country Manager-Uganda appreciated the inaugural selected Implementing Partners and noted that IDLO had high expectations that their projects which will significantly contribute towards enhancing Access to Justice for all in Uganda. He encouraged the partners to work closely amongst each and also with complementary state justice institutions to widen the reach of their projects.

LASPNET greatly appreciates IDLO for considering LASPNET as one of the premier Implementing Partners and SIDA for the financial support to the CJP. It is a welcome opportunity that is intended to strengthen Access to Justice for all in Uganda through community and mainly grass-root legal empowerment. As a Network we pledge our total commitment to realizing the project goal and purpose and further call upon LASPs and other strategic partners to embrace and support the successful implementation of this project.

Prepared by

Dr. Sylvia Namubiru Mukasa

Chief Executive Officer

4^th August 2020