Chief Justice Abdulla Saeed on Wednesday assured commitment to facilitate legal aid, citing it as a necessary component of access to justice.
He was speaking at the inauguration of the first National Legal Aid Conference held in Bandos Island Resort.
The conference is held under the theme “Pro bono initiatives: building partnerships in legal aid”. It is organised by UNDP Maldives, in collaboration with the Attorney General's Office and Family Protection Authority.
According to the organisers, the conference encourages probono legal services to assist vulnerable groups and addresses the broader concept of legal aid as being a necessary component of access to justice.
Organisers said the conference would also focus on identifying and developing effective strategies to meet legal aid service needs, with emphasis on accessibility to legal aid services by marginalized and vulnerable sectors of the population.
Speaking at the inauguration of the conference, Chief Justice Abdulla Saeed assured the judiciary’s commitment to facilitate legal aid, citing it as a necessary component of access to justice.
Chief Justice Saeed also noted the importance of providing legal assistance to vulnerable groups, especially people otherwise unable to afford legal representation and access to the court system.
Speaking at the function Attorney General Mohamed Anil spoke about a shortage of lawyers, and the challenges faced by vulnerable groups in seeking legal assistance.
Board President of the Family Protection Authority Aneesa Ahmed said, vulnerable groups, including victims of domestic violence and other family-related injustices, require legal assistance prior to any judicial proceedings.
UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative Shoko Noda said legal aid is a mean for empowering those whose rights need to be protected the most. She added that it is a fundamental human right entrenched in numerous international treaties and conventions.
According to organisers, the main objective of this conference is to engage with the legal community and relevant stakeholders to explore alternative legal aid mechanisms, including pro-bono initiatives to enhance accessibility to legal aid services at a national level.