Remember that guy called Saul from Netflix TV series Breaking Bad or its spin-off Better call Saul? If you don’t know what I am talking about, this is your chance to watch one of the best TV series ever. Summarily, Saul is the criminal lawyer you call when in trouble.
But you don’t need to call Saul. The Law is there to protect your personal rights and freedoms and to ensure there’s civility and harmony in society. The police and the courts are there to enforce this objective with harsh punishment to the offenders. But in order to be in in line with the law, you should know it, right?
Two innovative organizations in Uganda are demystifying the legal system illuminating some of the obscure concepts of the judicial system. Barefoot Lawyers Uganda was founded in 2012 with the mission of increasing access to legal information and support under-served communities in Africa. They have managed to provide free legal guidance and support via digital channels on their social media channels and website. They have an interesting way of talking about current affairs through the eyes of the law and addressing common legal situations everyday people face.
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Since its founding, Barefoot law has amassed a number of awards including Africa Legal Awards ‘Innovation Award’ Johannesburg, South Africa Oct. 2015 and Social Media Awards Uganda ‘Social Justice Award’ 2014.
- Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pg/Barefootlaw
- Website: https://barefootlaw.org/
- Phone number: 039 2177405
Legal Hub Uganda is the latest kid on the block having started about 2017. Registered as company Limited by Guarantee, Legal Hub works with all-round lawyers who believe in using the law as a tool for enhancing social justice in the country. They are actively providing legal information via social media platforms especially through their Facebook page. They respond to comments and Inbox messages relating to legal issues that you might be having for free.
- Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pg/LegalHubUganda
- Website: https://legalhubug.com
- Phone number: 039 2176853
Having free legal information and knowing the law doesn’t mean you won’t need legal representation. You still need a lawyer in some cases. Both Barefoot Law and Legal Hub will point you in the right direction but may not represent you in court.
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Access to justice remains a challenge for the majority of Ugandans. The legal system still favors mostly the educated and the economically well-off portion of the population. Legal Hub and Barefoot Law hope to take advantage of increasing penetration of mobile phone and internet usage to commoditize knowledge part of the legal system.
Images: Pixabay
