The Malawi Legal Aid Bureau (LAB) has described as a success the just winded up five-year Chilungamo Programme as it has assisted thousands of Malawians in need.
The sentiments have been made by Director of the Bureau, Masauko Chamkakala, at the closing symposium of the European Union-funded 52 million Euro programme in Lilongwe on Wednesday.
Through the programme, LAB received funding in five years for capacity building and providing of legal aid services to people who could not afford a private lawyer.
During a panel discussion at the symposium attended by fellow beneficiary institutions, Chamkakala pointed out that successes have mostly been made through collaboration with other agencies including Paralegal Advisory Services Institute (PASI) Malawi Prison Services and the judiciary.
“For the longest time, beneficiary institutions were working alone. Now with Chilungamo Programme, we work with institutions like PASI which have been helpful in making legal representation more accessible.
We have conducted several camp courts in prisons and the costs for managing cases were drastically cut,” emphasized Chamkakala.
The Director also highlighted that with the funding, the Bureau has been effective since cases that would have taken years to be completed were handled in a space of a few months.
While agreeing with the Bureau’s points on the progress that has been made in representing the vulnerable, European Union Ambassador to Malawi, Rune Skinnebach, pointed out that even when the five-year programme is officially closing at the end of January, the EU will remain committed to assisting governance institutions.
“With Chilungamo Programme, we have noted major progress and we have seen what we can achieve when we all come together for a common cause,” said Skinnebach.
As the EU has further confirmed that a successor programme dubbed ‘Chilungamo 2’ will be rolled out soon, Chief Justice Rizine Mzikamanda has also commended the coordination among beneficiary institutions.
In the programme, Malawi Legal Aid Bureau has managed to handle over 6800 cases, opened more offices to reach out to more Malawians, procured office furniture for regional and district offices and conducted trainings for Legal Aid Advocates among other notable achievements.
Other beneficiary institutions that were part of the programme were Malawi Human Rights Commission (MHRC), Malawi Police Service, Malawi Prison Service, the Office of Ombudsman, the judiciary and the Ministry of Justice.
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