Newsroom
OSCE sponsors Kosovo legal aid workshop
PRISTINA 8 December 2000
PRISTINA, 8 December 2000 - The OSCE Mission in Kosovo will be hosting a two-day "Workshop on Legal Aid in Civil Matters" in Pristina on 8 and 9 December 2000. This will be a working session resulting in concrete suggestions for a system of legal aid for Kosovo.
In post-conflict situations, justice is an essential element and this includes access to legal aid. As to civil matters, there is no institutionalized system in place, although several initiatives from both local and international and local NGOs provide services. Present programmes assist people in getting legal advice on a wide range of issues. Domestic NGOs in Kosovo have been providing legal services, but these have limited outreach as they can neither cover all areas of law nor offer assistance to the entire community. This demonstrates a gap in current system and that a common structure is necessary to cope with existing needs.
The immediate aim of the workshop is to improve the current state of the legal aid sector. The workshop is intended to discuss the general structure about what system should be adopted in Kosovo. Participants include local and international organizations responsible for legal aid programs in Kosovo and other countries, and other key actors including the JIAS Department of Justice. Their extensive experience dealing with legal aid issues will be important in the construction of a legal aid system for Kosovo.
On the first day, different models of legal aid programmes currently functioning in Kosovo and systems of other countries in the region and in Europe will be presented. Domestic NGOs who have been involved in providing legal aid - including RREGULA, NORMA, Centre for the Protection of Women and Children, and the Council for the Defense of Human Rights and Freedoms (CDHRF) - will offer their experiences.
The second day will be dedicated to the discussion about the present system, areas of law not currently covered by legal aid programmes, and formulating concrete suggestions for a legal aid system in Kosovo. Participants will be asked to consider the work currently done by NGOs and how to combine this work within any new structure. The recommendations are intended to aim towards developing uniform standards of service and a system that is sustainable over time.
The workshop will take place at the UNMIK Hotel in Pristina on 8-9 December 2000.
As part of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo Human Rights and Rule of Law Department, the Legal Community Support Section (LCSS) is responsible for assisting in the capacity building of actors in the legal community, such as lawyers, bar associations and NGOs.
For further information, contact the OSCE Mission in Kosovo Press Office, tel.:(+381-38) 500-162 or satphone: 871-762-009-948, ext. 260 e-mail: press@omik.org or website: /kosovo
In post-conflict situations, justice is an essential element and this includes access to legal aid. As to civil matters, there is no institutionalized system in place, although several initiatives from both local and international and local NGOs provide services. Present programmes assist people in getting legal advice on a wide range of issues. Domestic NGOs in Kosovo have been providing legal services, but these have limited outreach as they can neither cover all areas of law nor offer assistance to the entire community. This demonstrates a gap in current system and that a common structure is necessary to cope with existing needs.
The immediate aim of the workshop is to improve the current state of the legal aid sector. The workshop is intended to discuss the general structure about what system should be adopted in Kosovo. Participants include local and international organizations responsible for legal aid programs in Kosovo and other countries, and other key actors including the JIAS Department of Justice. Their extensive experience dealing with legal aid issues will be important in the construction of a legal aid system for Kosovo.
On the first day, different models of legal aid programmes currently functioning in Kosovo and systems of other countries in the region and in Europe will be presented. Domestic NGOs who have been involved in providing legal aid - including RREGULA, NORMA, Centre for the Protection of Women and Children, and the Council for the Defense of Human Rights and Freedoms (CDHRF) - will offer their experiences.
The second day will be dedicated to the discussion about the present system, areas of law not currently covered by legal aid programmes, and formulating concrete suggestions for a legal aid system in Kosovo. Participants will be asked to consider the work currently done by NGOs and how to combine this work within any new structure. The recommendations are intended to aim towards developing uniform standards of service and a system that is sustainable over time.
The workshop will take place at the UNMIK Hotel in Pristina on 8-9 December 2000.
As part of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo Human Rights and Rule of Law Department, the Legal Community Support Section (LCSS) is responsible for assisting in the capacity building of actors in the legal community, such as lawyers, bar associations and NGOs.
For further information, contact the OSCE Mission in Kosovo Press Office, tel.:(+381-38) 500-162 or satphone: 871-762-009-948, ext. 260 e-mail: press@omik.org or website: /kosovo