Access to Legal Aid for Women in Ethiopia: The Case of Hawassa University Legal Aid Center and Ethiopian Women Lawyers Association
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Date
2012
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AAU
Abstract
Due to their vulnerability women face various problems and experience discrimination,
domestic violence, sexual assault and harassment. In Ethiopia although women
experience violence they are not in a position to access justice due to poverty, sociocultural
factors and discrimination. Therefore, to curb this problem legal aid programs
are essential in making indigent women enjoy their right to equality before the law. The
main purpose of this study is therefore to examine the role of legal aid in promoting the
rights of women, identify the major factors/challenges that hinder women from accessing
legal aid taking Hawassa university legal aid center and Ethiopian Women Lawyers
Association as case studies. Methodologically, the study is based on a qualitative
approach. It relies on analyzing both primary and secondary data sources. The primary
data sources are gathered using semi- structured interview questions, with focus group
discussion and personal observations. The study has employed purposive sampling
procedure for contacting the interviewees. The secondary data sources are gathered
predominantly from literature out puts, journals and other publications. The finding of
the study shows that legal aid service is inaccessible for the majority indigent women.
Lack of awareness about the availability of legal aid, economic problems , culture and
family pressures, lack of legal rights awareness, language in which service is provided
and women’s perception towards legal aid are among the barriers that deny women
access to legal aid. Regardless of the above facts legal aid has great role in promoting
the rights of women, women who are victims of violence are able to claim for
compensation, secure their property and inheritance rights and further make them aware
of their legal rights. The study recommends that it is important to have Awareness raising
campaign about the availability and importance of legal aid service and disseminate
legal rights education to increase women awareness about their rights and obligations
under the law. Legal aid service providers shall also make legal aid centers physically
accessible to the majority in need. This study also reveals the importance of having
professionally competent service providers and the diversified use of non lawyers in
order to reduce the shortage of man power.
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Ethiopian Women Lawyers Association