The main objective under this thematic area is to enable women in Uganda to access quality and affordable legal services as a means to achieve human rights, gender equality and sustainable development. With over 40 years of experience in this area, FIDA Uganda is a forerunner in providing legal services to women, men and children who are poor, marginalized or disadvantaged. In addition to addressing individual cases, FIDA Uganda takes on public interest litigation cases as a way to address structural barriers that hamper access to justice for women and the achievement of gender equality. FIDA Uganda is also at the forefront in advocating for legal and practice reforms in order to strengthen the legal protection frameworks and improve the administration of justice generally and specifically to benefit women.

FIDA Uganda provides legal support services which includes legal literacy and the provision of free and affordable legal support services for women and children at our 15 offices and 4 justice desks. We also conduct mobile legal clinics and use this as a platform to identify appropriate cases for public interest litigation, and other advocacy action. FIDA Uganda trains and supports women clients to effectively represent themselves in Magistrates’ Courts, Small Claims Courts and other mediation forums like the Local Council Courts and land tribunals. FIDA Uganda engages justice delivery institutions and other duty bearers as well as non-state actors on the need to address barriers in the justice delivery system and the promotion of women’s rights and gender equality.

The organization also seeks to build and strengthen referral pathways and networks in order to provide holistic interventions beneficial for women, including provision of psychosocial support and counselling, healthcare services and economic empowerment. The organization also implements systems to collect and analyze data and to simplify and disseminate information related to legal issues which affect women and children.