THEME: Consolidating our gains through Transforming legal Education, Promoting Public Interest Litigation, Enhancing Access to Justice and Leveraging on Strategic Partnerships

INTRODUCTION

Following its establishment in January 2012, the Public Interest Law Clinic (PILAC) will this December 2022 celebrate its 10^th anniversary. Through the years, PILAC has been instrumental in transforming the teaching of legal education and legal practice through its experiential learning and strategic litigation strategies embedded in the various units namely: Clinical Legal Education (CLE) programme, Legal Aid Unit (LAU), Network of Public Interest Lawyers (NETPIL) and the East African Network of University Law Clinics (EANULAC). PILAC’s interventions have reached nearly 600 students, over 1000 indigent clients and over 200 legal practitioners. These interventions have included: reviving teaching of clinical legal education (CLE); Community outreach and mobile legal aid programme (CLAPMOC); provision of legal aid services; research and advocacy in access to justice and social economic rights issues; training of students and legal practitioners on public interest litigation; instituting public interest litigation cases; holding public lectures and conferences among others.

PILAC’s celebrated success is also attributed to the support of its various international development partners  and strategic national networks including:  the Wellsprings Philanthropic Fund (WPF), Democratic Governance Facility (DGF), American Bar Association (ABA); and the Initiative for Social Economic Rights; Refugee Law Project, Gulu University; Platform for Labour Action (PLA), Centre for Health, Human Rights and Development (CEHURD), Foundation for Human Rights Initiative (FHRI), Human Rights Awareness and Promotion Forum, Uganda Prison Services, Uganda Police Force, Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC), Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC), the Judiciary, the JLOS to mention a few.

There could be no better time for the PILAC @ 10, than this optune time when it coincides with the Makerere University @ 100 Anniversary.  PILAC’s endeavours over the years have been in line with the University mission as a whole. Consequently, PILAC delights in undertaking the activities below in commemoration of its 10 years journey in contributing to transforming legal education, promoting social and economic rights and enhancing access to justice for all in Uganda and regionally.

• PLANNED ACTIVITIES
  • Publication of 10^th Anniversary PILAC book

 Project (2012-2022)

To commemorate its 10 years of existence and all the persons who contributed to PILAC as well as all its graduates and their achievements over the years, a book project will be launched. The book will document the PILAC journey & achievements over the 10-year period as well as feature pictures of all its graduates, PILAC founders and staff, illustrious contributors (guest lecturers, partners). The individual, specialized units such as CLAPMOC, legal aid clinic, CLE programme amongst others will also be featured. The book will be a collection of photographs and descriptions, it may have contributions from students, staff and ‘friends of PILAC’ that document the impact PILAC has had on their lives, professions, career paths, etc. While much of this information already exists, it does not exist in one single place. The book would serve as a repository for PILAC’s 10-year journey. Quotes from students, staff, partners and friends of PILAC can also be collected and inserted in various sections of the book. The book could/should be led by one/handful of dedicated volunteers (PILAC alumni assigned different roles). It can be overseen by one or two Editors to establish a work-plan/timeframe for the project, ensure coordination, provide guidance with respect to layout and content/design.

Funds necessary: modest funds could be used towards contracting a professional to help with layout/design and publishing. To the extent that PILAC alumni/students have been involved in supporting similar projects in the past, it would be good to involve them here. Overall, the book will serve as a source of inspiration for those in the legal profession and beyond to apply their skills for the public good, it will seek to maintain a high level of commitment to public interest lawyering in Uganda, especially among the legal fraternity and law students. Given PILAC’s links to law schools and universities in East Africa, and by showcasing its impact on advancing social justice, the project can serve as inspiration to other law schools/universities in the region to consider starting a CLE programme and can be disseminated through PILAC/EANULAC’s ongoing engagements.

• PILAC @ 10 Conference and book Launch

To commemorate 10 years of public interest lawyering and service to the Ugandan population and most vulnerable in society, PILAC will host a one-day conference that will seek to:

1. Document the PILAC journey through major events, achievements, cases, issues the clinic has addressed/invite students’ to contribute their experiences on PILAC’s impact on their engagement/commitment to public interest lawyering/social justice through personal accounts.
2. Analyse PILAC’s impact on strategic litigation– what has been achieved, highlight the key issues/matters that have been tackled, what have been the challenges and outcomes; provide an analysis of the 10-year period in terms of the cases brought, the state of the courts and the legal profession
3. Analyse PILAC’s impact on improving access to justice– what has been the achievements of CLAPMOC and other initiatives, the challenges, areas for growth and expansion?
4. Analyse PILAC’s impact on the legal profession– tracing our impact through our alumni, through our partnerships, through PILAC internships, through legal/policy reform secured, through the change of mentality and commitment to social justice/public service
5. Analyse PILAC’s impact on CLE in Uganda and the region – showcase initiatives, EANULAC’s establishment, mission/mandate, activities— [comment: choose any other

pertinent issue that can feed into EANULAC’s objectives—do we make this a panel with other universities to attend/participate??]

The format for the listed topics can be in a panel discussion format where we invite up to 4 panelists (staff, students, alumni, PILAC partners, collaborators, etc) to sit on each panel per topic. Outcome: a conference report that can be shared with partners, and which will showcase PILAC’s impact, and also serve for fundraising purposes.

• Hold a Legal Aid Day

The provision of legal services to those who otherwise could not afford them is an integral part of social justice and social reform and improved access to justice may result in critical law reform or in fundamental changes in the rights of the poor.  Consequently, the legal aid day will focus on addressing the access to justice needs of the community and the need for Government funded legal aid if society is to ensure equal justice for all by adopting and strengthening measures to ensure that effective legal aid is provided, in accordance with the spirit of the Sustainable Development Goal 16.

AIMS OF THE LEGAL AID DAY

1. Creating awareness on human rights, governance and the law;
2. Providing information to the public to facilitate access to justice; and
3. It will offer law students from various universities and opportunity participate in the social transformation of society through assisting in the legal awareness campaigns.

PREPARATIONS

We intend to have a massive sensitization of the public in the days leading up to the event about the day leading up to the Legal Aid day PILAC@10. The publicity of the day will be done through social media, stories on print media, TV and radio ads. On the Legal Aid Day, Legal Aid Service providers and corporate bodies invited shall be given an opportunity to set up tables with material in their various areas of operation to provide more awareness to the general public. The LASP’s will be provided with a table, chairs and refreshments. Law students from the various universities will be attached to the tables assist in provision of services.

• Community Involvement through the Externship Projects

The community transformation through legal awareness has been a key intervention area for PILAC. Since its inception in 2012, PILAC has provided legal awareness sessions in the slum communities around the university and within proximity namely: Katanga, Kikoni, Kivulu, Kimumbasa and Kikubamutwe. As a result, of these community interventions, there was reduced criminality in the community and increased number of community members seeking legal aid services from PILAC and other legal aid service providers.

In celebrating PILAC @10, the CLE Students will design mini projects that are of legal relevance and promote community involment and these will be implemented in the respective communities. These projects will be assessed by the LAU for suitability purposed.

• PILAC@ 10 Dinner Celebrations

The events will be crowded by the PILAC @10 commemoration dinner to be held at the SOL Gardens due to the logistical limitations. The dinner will be graced by dignitaries from the University Management, Development Partners, national partners, representatives from Partner Universities, CLE Guest lectures, PILAC Alumni, NETPIL Advisory Committee members, and representatives from the communities, SOL Academic and Administrative staff, and representatives from the student body.

At the dinner, modest appreciation awards in recognition of the support rendered to PILAC will be given to various partners and also outstanding students from the Alumin category that have upheld the PILAC vision in their professional growth.

DRAFT Concept Note for 10th Anniversary