Montserrado County Senator Abraham Darius Dillon has pledged his fullest support to pass into law three Bills in the legislature.
The three proposed Bills are Legal Aid Bill, Liberia Corrections Service Bill, and the Alternative Dispute Resolution Bill.
Senator Dillon commitment followed a high-level policy dialogue meeting recently organized by the Center for Legal Aid Support Services (CLASS) which brought together stakeholders including members of the Judiciary Committees of the houses of representatives and senate, the Ministry of Justice, and the Ministry of Gender Children and Social Protection.
According to the Center for Legal Aid Support Services Chief Executive Officer, Attorney(Atty.) George N. King, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) engaged them on these Bills, which aligned with Article21 (i) of the 1986 Liberian Constitution. The Article mandates the Republic shall provide Legal Aid Services for those who cannot afford to secure counsel of their own.
Atty. King asserted that 23 years later (1986 – 2009), the Supreme Court of Liberia established the Public Defense Program. 2009 – 2025, 16 years to date, the Public Defense Program, remains underdeveloped and ineffective.
CLASS’ Boss maintained that Liberia’s Legal Aid Services are largely concentrated in Monrovia, creating significant challenges in providing access to justice nationwide for nearly five million people.
The Center for Legal Aid Support Services is a non-for-profit organization currently implementing Legal Aid Programs in Liberia. With funding from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), CLASS is promoting and advocating for the passage of the three bills.
Event Highlights
