Access to justice is a serious problem in the Central African Republic. That is the key finding in a study Avocats sans Frontières has just published. Analysis of the situation on the ground has revealed difficulties in access to lawyers and to a state justice system of adequate quality. Those are the reasons why citizens avoid the formal state system, and instead, turn to local chiefs, religious leaders, non governmental organisations and others. ASF recommends that development agencies draft and implement robust strategies to achieve sustainable improvements. And for them to be successful, these strategies must include all the actors involved, both formal and informal.

In Chad, ASF supports human rights organisations (HROs) with the aim of increasing the impact and scope of their activities. Last March, we went to meet individuals, local authorities, legal actors, and members of HROs, to get their opinions on the work that HROs do. In the interviews, which were carried out in Bongor, Moundou, and Sarh, everyone who was questioned expressed a high level of satisfaction with the activities of HROs.

Access to justice is more crucial than ever to ease the existing tensions in the North and South Kivu provinces of the DR Congo, which have been torn apart by violence for decades. On 21 and 23 May 2019, ASF, RCN Justice & Démocratie and TRIAL International launched a shared project to fight impunity in those regions. Two workshops, held in Goma and Bukavu, gathered over a hundred people playing a part in the prosecution of international crimes.

In Uganda, ASF has been providing continuous support to communities who have been victim of the crimes for which Kwoyelo is being tried under the International Crimes Division. Last April, ASF led joint efforts with the Victim’s Counsel, the ICD Registrar and the International Center for Transitional Justice to inform the victims’ communities of the latest trial developments, while collecting and relaying their views to relevant instances.

ASF and eight of its partners formed the Alliance pour la Sécurité et les Libertés, calling on Tunisian deputies not to adopt the bill for the organisation of a state of emergency in its current form. Far from improving security in the country, it endangers people’s rights and freedoms and curtails constitutional protections.

Joining in the celebration of women across the world today, ASF releases its analysis of the progresses and shortcomings in achieving women’s rights in Uganda’s extractive industry context.

For the victims of human trafficking, Tunisia could be their country of origin or their destination country, or they could be in transit. Since 2016, Tunisia has had a strong legal framework for combatting the phenomenon, but how can effective collaboration between the actors involved be ensured? ASF and the national anti-trafficking body organised an international conference to take stock of the issue.

On 19 May 2019, ASF will be on the starting line of the Brussels 20 km. Want to combine sporting achievement and solidarity with people seeking justice in Chad? Join our team! You commit yourself to raising a minimum of €100 from people you know. The donations raised will be used to support the work of paralegals, who are key players in making justice accessible to the people of Chad. We will spoil you before, during, and after the race.

Chad has about 12 million inhabitants…and 135 practising lawyers, almost all based in the capital, N’Djamena. Fortunately, they are not the only ones defending people’s rights: supervised and trained by national organisations and by ASF, paralegals provide legal aid services to the most destitute. Make a donation: help us to improve the working conditions of paralegals and ensure the quality of the services they provide.

With the deepest regret, after twenty uninterrupted years in Burundi, we must close our offices in Bujumbura and leave the country on 31 December 2018.