The respect and protection of human rights can be guaranteed only by the availability of effective judicial mechanisms. Access to Justice is an essential component of the system of protection and enforcement of human rights. It is a broad concept that captures both formal and informal justice mechanisms. The right to access, therefore, not only means access to courts but also empowerment of citizens to resolve their disputes in alternative dispute resolution forums of their choice.
ICJ Kenya is committed to strengthening and promoting access to justice and legal re- dress for the poor, marginalized, and minority communities. A hallmark of ICJ Kenya’s work in promoting access to justice is through the entrenchment of paralegalism. For over three decades, ICJ Kenya has coordinated a network of paralegals in Trans Mara, Taita Taveta, Kwale, Kitui, Meru and Laikipia regions of Kenya. The partnership with six regional networks has given us presence in the grassroot level by offering legal aid services.
ICJ Kenya’s research-based study on the Cost-Benefit Analysis of Legal Aid identified that the provision of legal aid leads to considerable direct benefits to the justice system by increasing the efficiency of the system and the courts. For instance, the resolution of legal issues at an early stage and the diversion of cases from the courts toward dispute resolution mechanism forums like AJS.
In the 2022 report, the role of paralegals in promoting access to justice in the communities was illuminated. The statistics indicate that 768 members of the community benefited from the six paralegal networks through legal aid. This report therefore, underscores the importance paralegals in promoting access to justice with the great partnership of the six paralegal networks.