“BRAC-Ain o Salish Kendro (ASK) Joint Legal Aid Program” was initiated to promote legal awareness among the poor along with providing them with legal assistance to resolve their problems. This study intended to review BRAC-ASK joint legal aid programs at different steps of its operation. Findings showed that BRAC staff could develop their capacity to implement the legal aid program in an effective way. Both qualitative and quantitative data were collected for this study. The program required close supervision by BRAC and ASK at every stage of its operation, which a single PO could not ensure. The program needed to hold more workshops and seminars at the village level to gain the approval of the community at large. The program dealt with sensitive issues. Thus, liaison with the local police and the political parties was necessary for the BRAC staff’s personal security. The activities of panel lawyers should be strongly monitored. The paralegal sebikas can share only those activities of the legal aid program which are more convenient to them compared to other BRAC staff. BRAC members had better knowledge of different aspects of the legal aid program than that of non-members. Around one-fourth of the respondents who received assistance from BRAC evaluated the legal aid program as either fairly effective or completely ineffective to solve their problems.
Author: Banu; Dilruba
Type: Report
Year: 2003
