From May 15 to 19, 2023, the Commission conducted a survey on effectiveness of Legal Aid Services in Rwanda which intended to assess the realization of the right to access to justice for poor and vulnerable persons. This effectiveness includes legal consultation, assistance or representation to people in needy and how they are facilitated to have easy access over a fair trial in order to have fair justice both in criminal and civil matters.

The survey consisted on assessing the access to legal aid services in both criminal and non-criminal matters; identifying challenges on implementation of legal aid services in Rwanda and formulating recommendations to relevant institutions for effective delivery of legal aid services.

Rwanda has made significant strides in terms of putting in place an innovative and responsive legal and institutional framework to deliver justice especially in favor of the most vulnerable sections of the population alongside the formal adjudication of justice through classic courts, there is still a vacuum which needs to be filled.

Thereafter, based on the findings after the survey, the Commission will issue recommendations for better implementation of legal aid services in Rwanda.

During the survey, the Commission also visited the families that were affected by the recent disasters that caused more than 130 deaths and is committed to advocate for them for further actions in favour of the vulnerable. The Commission further met with the local authorities to ensure that they take care of displaced people what about health assistance, education, food security, …