Adult Paralegal Program

The Adult Paralegal Program provides free legal advice to victims of human rights violations. Trained volunteer paralegals counsel community members on issues ranging from land disputes and domestic violence to forced marriage and child defilement. The program is often the only access rural Zambians have to legal counseling and information on national law and their rights.

Paralegals are local women and men nominated by community leaders in consultation with LADA and trained by LADA over a three-week period. To date, there are over 230 trained adult paralegals who work as volunteers at 28 legal desks throughout the Southern Province. Paralegals work in partnership with other key stakeholders such as the Police Victim Support Unit (VSU), Ministry of Justice, and traditional leaders in order to effectively serve clients and promote human rights.

Paralegals, with the help of community members and traditional leaders, have erected pole and mud grass-thatched shelters in some communities while in other communities, the legal desks are still conducted under trees. The paralegals sit in these centers twice a week- usually on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 9 AM to 6:30 PM.

Our Cause

All too often, the voices of the poor and vulnerable are not heard in our society. With the Zambian judicial system lacking in resources and with lawyers predominantly concentrated in urban areas, citizens do not have equal access to justice. Also, the dual legal system based upon British common law (statutory law) and traditional practices (customary law), has led to inconsistencies in the application of the law. Women and children, who have - above all - fallen victim to human rights violations, are unable to seek redress. Even the VSUs established by the government in 1999 lack the capacity to serve victims of rape, domestic violence and child defilement. Violence against women is common throughout Zambia. A 2004 USAID survey found that 48% of women said they had been subjected to physical or sexual abuse. Also, according to UNDP reports, women aged between 15 to 19 years old are five times more likely than their male counterparts to be infected with HIV/AIDS. Household poverty and traditional customs such as polygamy, property grabbing and widow cleansing have exacerbated the abuse against women. Polygamy is commonly practiced in the Southern Province and women are treated as property. Traditionally when a husband dies, his family is allowed to take ownership of his property and support the widow. However, poverty has driven families to seize the deceased's property and evict the widow and her children. Women and children are left destitute as a result of this practice. Furthermore, customary law has allowed male relatives of the deceased husband to inherit the widow and conduct "widow cleansing" whereby the male relatives engage in sexual intercourse with the widow in order to rid the evil forces that are believed to have caused her husband's death. This practice - which remains prevalent in the Southern Province - not only violates fundamental human rights, but puts women at serious risk of HIV/AIDS. Orphans and children separated from their parents are more vulnerable to abuse and human rights violations. According to UNAIDS estimates, the HIV/AIDS epidemic has left Zambia with approximately 570,000 orphans who have lost both parents. Such children are dependent on the care of a relative or community member, if not left on the streets. In exchange for support, they are often forced to work as laborers at home and in the fields. As a result, many children are denied an education. Defilement, or the sexual assault of children, is also prevalent especially with orphaned girls and the perprators are most often the child's caretaker.

* acts as a link between the community, lawyers and relevant stakeholders

A Paralegal:

* investigates cases, gathers evidence, interprets and follows-up on cases

* knows and understands the social and health services available to the community and refers people to them

* teaches people about their rights and the law through public education programs

* encourages people to resolve disputes through methods which do not involve the law courts, such as negotiation and mediation