Law and Development Association

LADA is a true model of grassroots initiative. Our membership comprises of rural women
peasant farmers, teachers, traditional chiefs, youths, and other local community members.
Even the location of the Secretariat in the center of Monze proves our commitment to
working with grassroot rural communities. Currently LADA covers nine out of the eleven
districts in the Southern Province namely: Monze, Gwembe, Choma, Livingstone, Itezhitezhi,
Kalomo, Siavonga, Mazabuka and Namwala.

The Law and Development Association (LADA) is a
non-governmental organization (NGO) legally
registered under the Registrar of Societies Act of
Zambia as a non-profit operating in the Southern
Province of Zambia with no political, racial or religious
affiliations. LADA began in 1994 with a group of three
widows and five men who had witnessed and
experienced the disastrous effects of property
grabbing, domestic violence and household poverty
upon the rural female population. Committed to
empowering their community, the group assisted their
neighbors with property rights cases and held
community workshops on human rights issues. The
organization grew with the support of Oxfam to cover
all of Monze district by 1996. A community survey
revealed residents desired a central office where they
could seek assistance. In 1996, LADA was formally
founded as an NGO.

Unlike many NGOs, LADA aims to improve the status of women and children in Zambia
holistically through legal education and awareness on issues of law, gender, HIV/AIDS,
human rights; and with economic support to households. LADA's programs include: the
Adult Paralegal Program and Paralegal Kids Programs which provide free legal counseling
and human rights monitoring; the Economic Empowerment Program that aims to lower
household poverty through income generating activities; and, Community Awareness
workshops.