Child‐Friendly Legal Aid in Africa

Child‐Friendly Legal Aid in Africa

July 12, 2013

This document explores the legal, policy, and practical issues involved in creating and maintaining “child-friendly” legal aid programs in Africa. After discussing the key components of child-friendly legal aid systems, the paper turns to an examination of the core competencies of individual services providers. It also explores the concept of child-friendly legal aid in the context of the formal justice system and makes preliminary observations about the provision of child-friendly legal aid in traditional justice systems. The paper concludes with a summary of information on national standards and child-friendly legal aid initiatives in Africa.

Regions and Countries