TOR For The Preparation Of Legal Aid Services Guidelines 38 views

Introduction

Ethiopian Women Lawyers Association has been established at the federal level in 1995 by Women lawyers and re-registered as Local Organization in accordance with the Civil Society Organization. It has been working for more than 25 years to promote women’s social, economic, political and legal rights to help women exercise their constitutional and other rights.

The aim of the association is to promote equal participation of women in all sectors and to prevent sexual violence against women and create a safe environment for women through its three programs: Legal Research and Advocacy, Public Education and Capacity Building, and Free Legal Aid service.

The association is head quartered in Addis Ababa and has opened its regional offices in seven regions  and one city administration namely Adama, Hawassa, Bahir Dar, Gambella, Asosa, Jigjiiga, Semera regions and city administration of Dire Dawa. In order to make the service accessible to all, the association is working to continue its service in the zones and woredas under its regional and city administration branches and has so far established 55 volunteer committee centers across the country.

Since its establishment EWLA has been served victim women with pain of injustice and of those seeking free legal aid service and become a place where they get relief, addressing the issue of gender equality, women empowerment and violence against women among many other issues.

With a view to achieve these objectives, EWLA has been implementing varying projects in collaboration with its donors. Currently, EWLA is implementing a project titled “Women Voice leadership” through Plan International Ethiopia with back donor plan Canada. The project aims at strengthening the capacity of women lead organization with the support. Particularly, it focuses on strengthening the provision of free legal aid services.

As part of this project, EWLA intends to commission the preparation of a guideline on legal aid services in order to render the service effectively, monitor and follow up legal aid services. This guideline should include eligibility criteria for the victims to benefit from the free legal aid service, types of cases to be handled, procedures to be followed by lawyers in rendering legal aid services,..etc

Objective of the Assignment

The objective of this assignment is to prepare legal aid services guideline which is tailored to victim women in order to render the service effectively, monitor and follow up legal aid activities. The rationale why preparing a legal aid service guideline includes setting criteria for identifying beneficiaries, guiding procedures and providing legal aid services, documentation of beneficiaries etc. This guideline is intended to ensure standard working procedures in the courts the legal aid service is planned to be rendered.

Scope of the Work

The scope of the work includes preparation of free legal aid guideline which will be used to provide legal aid services effectively. Accordingly, the guideline should at least address the following:

• The Ethiopian criminal justice system and the women justice system in particular;
• Constitutional right to access to justice through legal aid services with specific focus on violence against women;
• Legal frameworks (substantive and procedural) addressing women offenders under Ethiopian criminal law
• Eligibility criteria for the women victims to benefit from the free legal aid service
• Types of cases to be handled by the lawyers, i.e., representation, counseling
• Procedures to be followed delivering the services, registration of beneficiaries, roles of pro bono lawyers, etc.
• Developing formats for keeping data of beneficiaries and reporting formats
• Internal governing system/ code of conduct/ for EWLA volunteer providers

Methodology

The expert is expected to devise appropriate methodology to produce high-quality guideline manual.

Expected Deliverables and Timeline

• Submission of draft legal aid services guidelines in 25 working days;
• Incorporation of the feedbacks and submission of the draft of the guideline;
• Presentation of the guideline on validation workshop in an event to be organized by EWLA

Required Qualifications

• At least Master’s Degree in Law, with focus on human rights
• At least 5 years of relevant work experience in human rights areas in Ethiopia, experience in legal aid services will be given priority
• Ability to work independently and respond to feedback in a timely and professional manner
• Experience in developing guidelines and manuals is an asset
• Excellent communication, interpersonal and organizational skills, and attention to details

Company Legal Requirements: Interested applicants should submit:

• Valid Certificate of Consultancy Service or valid law and consultancy service license
• Valid Trading License/valid law and consultancy service license
• Valid Tax Registration Certificate (indicating TIN and VAT/TOT Number)
• Full and accurate physical, postal, telephone, and email addresses