Improved Quality, Capacity and Sustainability of District Paralegal Services

LIWOPAC implementing a Project namely “Improved Quality, Capacity and Sustainability of District Paralegal Services” aimed at addressing legal problems putting emphasize to Marginalized Women and Vulnerable children in Southern Regions. Also focus in increasing knowledge and awareness on legal matters by improving performance of District paralegal Units with the support from Legal Service Facility (LSF) 2017 - 2020

Project objectively aimed at Strengthened channel to Justice in community especially marginalized women and vulnerable children through improved quality capacity and sustainability of paralegal services. Therefore to achieve this objective LIWOPAC has developed different outcomes outlined in Logical framework Matrix (baseline) to measure extent percentage of envisioned goals. These outcomes include the followings; (i) to increase the coverage of legal aid services; (ii) to enhance the quality of legal aid provided; and (iii) to improve coordination and policy advocacy pertaining to legal aid in the targeted Regions.

The implementation of the project commenced through the use of RMO – PU’s modal. The tune of Tanzania Shillings 600,000,000 funded by Legal Service facility was contracted to manage implementation of the project. LIWOPAC in the hand of Regional Mentor Organization (RMO) undertake several interventions including; Mentoring and Coaching to paralegals on monthly bases, Quarterly Monitoring and field visit supervision, Stakeholders Coordination and feedback review sessions, Capacity building (Administratively, financially and programing), legal empowerment, legal provision, study tour learning events, best performing paralegals awards and periodic project evaluation.

The project was implemented through the use of innovative approach of diagram tree (Problem Tree) as the theory of change in the community. LIWOPAC as Mentor organization struggling to ensure the leaves (Paralegals) nourished and produce the fruit to beneficiaries (“Justice”). The theory proved to be more effective and applicable since enabled us to reach LSF area of interest with minimal challenges. Three main approaches used

 (i) Capacity building,
(ii) Legal empowerment and
(iii) Legal aid Provision.

LIWOPAC capacitated Paralegal unit and make frequent technical follow up to improve their performance. Capacitated Paralegals had to render their commitment to community (Beneficiaries) by providing legal education and legal support which in turn bring the “Justice Society”.

Key achievements

1. Legal empowerment; implementation succeeded to empower 1,096,152 (56%) women (Lindi 562,112, Mtwara 534,040) who benefited with paralegal legal empowerment interventions. The report outlined an outcome of 70% of interviewed community prefer to demand their rights through paralegals rather than other entities
2. Capacity Building; within the respective period LIWOPAC managed to capacitate 216 paralegals and 270 LGA’s in southern Regions. The effort fostering collaboration among paralegals and LGA’s hence influenced 80 women managed to gain their lost matrimonial properties.
3. Legal Aid provision; the project had managed to increase level of awareness which encourage 6,952 (77%) women successfully accessed our legal support in Southern Regions. The report highlight an outcome of 3 students escaped from early marriage while 1,200 children acquired parents supports through paralegals efforts.