Department of Legal Aid (DoLA) - Tanzania
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Quick information guide
The Tanzania Legal Act, 2017 recognises the right of access to legal aid and orients providers to:
- Carry out educational programmes in national or local languages on legal issues and procedures of concern to the community;
- Assist aided persons in the procedures to obtain necessary legal documents;
- Guide aided person to a proper forum or to access justice; and
- Advise the conflicting parties to seek amicable settlement or referring them to dispute settlement institutions
Why is legal aid important for women?
Research studies have shown that women in Tanzania are likely to suffer more when it comes to accessing and utilizing legal services compared to men simply because of:
- Vulnerability: Women are more vulnerable to oppression than men due to socio-economic characters
- Literacy: Majority of the women are illiterate; this becomes difficult for them to connect with legal aid and express themselves
- Income: Women are less paid compared to men what disadvantages them when it comes to affording paid legal services
- Cultural values: Some cultural practices have created in a woman a spirit of underestimation.
This makes it hard for women to fight for their rights.
Women Legal Aid Support Services in Tanzania
The National Strategy for Gender Development (NSGD) aims at guiding all stakeholders to work towards gender equality in a more harmonized manner.
Part four of the Tanzania Legal Aid Act of 2017 gives provisions for legal aid to eligible indent persons such as women and persons in lawful custody. Various NGOs have special programs to provide free legal aid services to needy women.
Legal Human Rights centre (LHRC)
Women Legal Aid Centre (WLAC)
Department of Legal Aid (DoLA)
| About Legal Aid Department | The Department of Legal Aid (DoLA) is a Department within the Ministry of Constitutional and Legal Affairs established under the act no. 13 of 2018. |
| Services Provided | Register Legal Aid Providers: The Department registers legal aid providers established in Zanzibar and provides policy guidelines to legal aid providers. Coordination: The Department coordinate, monitor and evaluate the functions of legal aid providers and give general directives for the proper implementation of legal aid programmes according to the set standards and quality of legal aid services. Legal Education: The Department takes appropriate measures for promoting legal literacy and legal awareness among the public and, in particular, educates vulnerable groups about the availability of legal aid.it also establish and develop programs for legal aid education and the training and certification of paralegals. Investigate of Misconduct against provides: the department receive and investigate complaints and misconduct against legal aid providers and take actions where it is necessary. |
| Does a Woman need to pay for DoLA Services? | All the services provided by the Department of Legal Aid are free of charge. |
| Contacts | Department of Legal Aid |