Access to justice: legal aid and other forms of advocacy
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Date
2021-03-28
Authors
Chartier, Brandi
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Abstract
Access to justice is a human right. It is a human right that is not experienced equally to all and often does not reach the most marginalized groups of people within society. One resource that is used to increase access to justice for marginalized people is the service of Legal Aid. Legal aid services are catered to those who do not have the financial means to afford a private lawyer. These services are provided for significantly reduced amount or pro bono. Legal aid lawyers are advocates on behalf of their clients by representing them in court, providing them with knowledge of their rights and advocating for these rights. Unfortunately, many legal aid clients are viewed by society through a stereotypical lens which is embedded with negative biases. This affects low-income people within the justice system and also within their daily lives. A possible solution to break down stereotypes, is an additional type of advocacy aside from the type offered through Legal aid lawyers. This second type of advocacy is widespread and reaches a far greater audience than a courtroom. This advocacy would best be accomplished through knowledge translation. Knowledge translation can provide an educational, impactful and empathizing experience on behalf of legal aid clients and work to break down stereotypes and stigmatization. Legal aid clients are human, and all humans should be able to live freely with dignity, without discrimination or bias, and be able to claim their human rights.
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Keywords
Legal aid, Advocacy, Marginalized, Justice, Stereotypes, Bias, Human rights, Underfunding, Knowledge translation, Social justice, Equality