Accessibility to legal aid services by orphans and other vulnerable children in Kira town council

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to assess the factors influencing accessibility to legal aid services by orphans and other vulnerable children (OVC) in Kira Town Council, Wakiso district in Uganda. The objectives of the study were to identify the legal aid challenges experienced by OVC and their guardians in Kira Town Council; assess the availability of legal aid services to OVC and their guardians in Kira Town Council; assess the level of awareness of legal aid services by OVC and their guardians in Kira Town Council; and determine the level of utilization of and accessibility to legal aid services by OVC and their guardians in Kira Town Council. The study used a descriptive survey design because it helps describe the characteristics of an event and provide data about the population or item being studied. Both qualitative and quantitative techniques were used. The quantitative approach allows the researcher to solicit information that can be expressed numerically to explain, predict and control phenomena of interest. The qualitative information was derived from key informant interviews and focus group discussions. A sample size of 98 was used out of the total population of 130. The study found that 84.7% of the respondents disagreed that legal aid providers in Kira Town Council were able to solve all legal aid problems of the OVC; that 80.6% of the respondents were dissatisfied with the legal aid services provided to OVC; that 69.4% of the respondents had not heard about legal aid services in Kira Town Council; and, finally, that 67% of the respondents disagreed that legal aid services to OVC in Kira Town Council were given at a financial cost. The study concluded that legal aid providers in Kira Town Council were unable to solve all legal aid problems of the OVC; that the people of Kira Town Council were dissatisfied with the legal aid services provided to OVC; that the OVC and their guardians had not heard about legal aid services in Kira Town Council; and that legal aid services to OVC were given free of charge in Kira Town Council. The study recommended that the Government of Uganda should endeavour to expand the legal aid services to cover both the urban and rural areas so that OVC are able to seek legal redress pertaining to numerous problems experienced in communities, as orphans and vulnerable children are either offenders or victims, all needing legal aid services. The study also recommended that legal aid service providers need to be empowered with finances to be able to make themselves readily available to provide legal aid services to OVC within the urban and rural areas, for example organising radio talk shows to create community awareness about legal aid services. The study recommended that in order to popularize the provision of legal aid services to OVC in Uganda, there is need to create awareness by mobilizing community members to be able to know about the availability of such services. This would then convince OVC and their guardians to be able to access and utilise legal aid services. The government should ensure that legal aid services are accessible to the communities. This will enable orphans and other vulnerable children to get the legal aid services they need when they fall victim to abuse. Accessibility should be made possible through the enhancement of the provision of free legal aid services and to ensure that physical distances to legal aid service providers aid easy access. Government should also come up with livelihood interventions targeting OVC and their guardians so that they are able to generate income to meet part of the cost of legal services.