The Legal Services Facility (LSF) sends its heartfelt message of appreciation to Her Excellency Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan, the President of the United Republic of Tanzania, on the momentous occasion of the Law Day held at Dodoma on 1st February 2024. The event, which was graced by Her Excellency for the third consecutive year, served as a platform to commend the invaluable contribution of legal aid to the welfare of the nation.
During the historic gathering, Her Excellency extensively praised the distinctive role played by legal aid in uplifting the underprivileged segments of society. She reaffirmed the government's unwavering support for the Legal Aid sector, providing a resolute assurance to the justice community. Her Excellency emphasized that legal aid work, particularly for the poor and vulnerable, is a divine calling.
The LSF, together with its community of more than 4000 paralegals, has faithfully adhered to this divine calling for over a decade. Through their dedicated efforts, the LSF has served the underserved, reaching the hardest-to-reach and highly vulnerable women and girls in Tanzania, positively impacting over 8 million people annually.
As the Co-Chair of the Mama Samia Legal Aid Campaign, alongside the Ministry of Constitutional and Legal Affairs (MoCLA), the LSF is deeply moved by Her Excellency's recognition of the campaign's achievements, surpassing expectations within its first year. The continued and resolute support from Her Excellency triples the LSF's and its partners' determination to extend the campaign's reach to more women, girls, and marginalized communities in the second and third year of its execution.
Furthermore, the LSF commends Her Excellency's directive to the Ministry of Constitutional and Legal Affairs regarding the development of an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Policy. As rightly observed by Her Excellency, a functional ADR system is indispensable to any legal system as it facilitates the repair of broken relationships. The LSF has consistently invested in enhancing the country's ADR capacity, and paralegals have effectively utilized ADR skills to resolve community justice problems. With the adoption of the ADR Policy, the legal aid sector stands to benefit immensely, and the LSF pledges its unwavering support to the Ministry.
On behalf of the LSF Board, partners, and the legal aid community, we express our heartfelt appreciation for the leadership, firm commitment, and unwavering support that Her Excellency provides to the legal aid sector and the vulnerable women and girls of Tanzania.
About the LSF:
The Legal Services Facility (LSF) is a non-profit organization dedicated to increasing access to justice for marginalized individuals and communities in Tanzania. With a network of over 4000 paralegals, the LSF provides legal aid services, empowers communities, and advocates for policy and legal reforms to create a more inclusive and equitable justice system.
