The agreement, signed recently, aims to implement the Improved Access to Justice for Women through Legal Aid (IMPAWLA) project.
Dar es Salaam. In a significant development for women's rights in Tanzania, the Legal Services Facility (LSF) and Enabel, the Belgian development agency, have formalized a grant agreement worth Sh10.7 billion.
The agreement, signed recently, aims to implement the Improved Access to Justice for Women through Legal Aid (IMPAWLA) project.
Funded by the European Union (EU) under its flagship initiative, "Gender Transformative Action: Breaking the Glass Ceiling," the project sets out to address the existing disparities in access to justice for women and girls.
The LSF Executive Director, Ms Lulu Ng'wanakilala, said besides improving access to justice, the project also seeks to bolster organizational capacity.
Under the agreement, LSF and Enabel will collaborate to roll out a comprehensive legal aid program tailored for women and marginalized groups. This program adopts a multifaceted approach, encompassing the enhancement of legal aid services' quality, promotion of legal empowerment, and creation of an enabling environment for accessing justice.
Ms Ng'wanakilala emphasized the project's commitment to ensuring that top-notch legal aid services are readily available to all individuals, empowering communities to navigate and utilize legal mechanisms effectively.
The Resident Representative at Enabel in Tanzania, Koenraad Goekint, expressed excitement about the partnership's potential impact. He highlighted their joint commitment to fostering a more equitable and just society, particularly for women, girls, and marginalized communities.
The EU head of delegation to Tanzania, Ms Christine Grau reiterated the EU's dedication to supporting women's access to justice, especially concerning gender-based violence victims. Grau, along with other representatives, emphasized strong backing and dedication to the project, envisioning its transformative role in safeguarding women's rights and advancing Tanzanian society's fairness and justice.
The implementation period for the agreement spans 26 months. Throughout this duration, concerted efforts will be made to ensure that justice becomes a tangible reality for all individuals, irrespective of their socio-economic backgrounds.
