Since its establishment in 1990 by the Women’s Rights Committee of the Law Association of Zambia (LAZ), National Legal Aid Clinic for Women (NLACW) has been a vigorous advocate for the rights of women and children. It has promoted access to justice through legal representation, as a distinct but integral part of the women’s movement. Access to Justice is critical to the attainment of gender equality and equity as it ensures that women can enforce their rights, secure protection from the law when they suffer abuse or violation of their rights, and empowers them to enjoy their human rights on an equal footing with men.
Legal
Literacy
Legal
Representation
Advocacy for Policy
& Law Reform
Counseling
Counseling
LEGAL LITERACY
The purpose of legal literacy is to address institutionalized barriers that promote inequalities and discrimination against women and children such as negative social norms that promote acceptance of GBV in communities.
It focuses on addressing the social norms that perpetrate abuse against women and children at the individual, family, community and societal level. Legal literacy empowers women’s legal knowledge and influence and enables them to make informed decisions including, taking legal action to enforce or claim their legal rights when they suffer abuse.
ADVOCACY FOR POLICY AND LAW REFORM
We believe that a strengthened policy and legal environment is essential for the protection of women and children’s rights. For this reason, we proactively lobby for repeal and amendment of policies and laws that hinder the enjoyment of women and children’s rights.
We work with targeted actors, such as Members of Parliament and policy makers in order to bring their attention to laws that are discriminatory and inconsistent with women and children’s rights and recommend their appeal or amendment.
We also bring their attention to policies that need to be adopted and implemented. In addition, we work in collaboration with strategic partners, through formation of alliances, thereby facilitating collective actions for enhanced advocacy efforts.
INSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT
We are committed to improving our staff capacity, infrastructure, digital systems, and sustainability to better serve our clients.
LEGAL REPRESENTATION
Inequalities between women and men coupled with negative social norms continue to exacerbate abuse of women and girls’ rights in Zambia. In order to protect their rights, we provide women and children with legal aid services which include legal advice, legal assistance and legal representation.
The Strategic Plan Goal and Strategic Objectives
Strategic Goal
Increased equitable access to justice for vulnerable and under privileged women and children by 2029
Targeted women and children are aware of their legal and human rights and are making informed decisions to protect their rights
Vulnerable and underprivileged women and children have equitable access to legal representation and obtain justice from the legal system
Policy and legal framework responsive to the needs of the women and children
NLACW has sufficient and sustainable capacity to deliver legal aid services to vulnerable and under privileged women and children