Legal aid providers in Somalia are on the frontline of providing legal services to the most vulnerable in some of the most difficult, dangerous conditions in the world. The Somali Legal Aid Network (SLAN) brings these organizations together, including across regions that are in conflict with each other. The SLAN is in urgent need of support to provide trainings for members, coordinate more regular meetings and events, and provide a platform for information sharing.
In Somalia, groups such as women, IDPs and minority clans have almost no access to justice. Sexual violence is widespread; land grabbing is common; and vulnerable people are routinely arrested, detained and mistreated. A group of Somali lawyers are working to provide pro bono legal assistance to these vulnerable people in the most dangerous conditions: much of Somalia remains a war zone; and threats against legal aid providers are so common that they all report regularly receiving them.
The SLAN is an innovative response to the challenges faced by legal aid providers founded upon their suggestion. It links up 16 legal aid organisations across all regions of Somalia. It will: Support paralegals to provide urgently needed legal assistance to vulnerable groups; Provide high quality trainings on priority areas identified by SLAN members, including, security & case management; Coordinate regular meetings of SLAN members; Assist members in joint advocacy effors on legal developments
The project will have the following impact: Legal aid providers in Somalia are equipped with the technical skills to provide free legal aid to those who need it most, including survivors of SGBV, IDPs, journalists and women in need; Those who have experienced human rights violations have increased access justice; The priorities and concerns of legal aid providers are incorporated into high level government discussions and reflected in law and policy.
