As the Executive Director of the Tanzania Network of Legal Aid Providers (TANLAP) and a member of the African Centre of Excellence for Access to Justice (ACE-AJ), I have had the privilege of representing our organization at several major international meetings over the past year. One of the most significant was the High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) in New York. This experience was transformative for me personally and for ACE-AJ as an organization. It provided us with invaluable opportunities to connect with others working in the field of access to justice, formulate our work around SDG 16.3.3, and broaden our network.
First and foremost, I would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to the Mott Foundation for their unwavering support. Their generosity made it possible for us to attend the HLPF and engage meaningfully with the global community. The connections and insights gained from this meeting have been instrumental in shaping our strategies and advancing our mission.
The HLPF meeting facilitated networking with like-minded groups and individuals dedicated to access to justice. This interaction was crucial in formulating our work around SDG 16.3.3, which focuses on promoting the rule of law at the national and international levels and ensuring equal access to justice for all. By engaging with other organizations, we were able to share best practices, learn from their experiences, and find common ground for future collaborations.
Our participation at the HLPF also led to a significant milestone: ACE-AJ’s selection to the TAP Network Steering Committee and our appointment as co-chair of the committee. This role has allowed us to contribute more effectively to the global discourse on access to justice and to influence policy and advocacy efforts on an international scale.
Attending HLPF and other meetings has opened doors to new research opportunities. We are currently engaged in research with the Overseas Development Institute (ODI), conducting questionnaires and gathering data vital for advancing our mission. Moreover, the meeting provided a platform to meet potential donors, enhancing our ability to secure funding for our projects.
One of the most impactful aspects of attending the HLPF was the ability to engage directly with government representatives from Tanzania. This engagement carried more weight because of our presence at a high-level international forum, allowing us to advocate more effectively for legal aid funding and support from the Registrar of the Legal Aid Board. Learning from other countries about their approaches to legal aid funding has also informed our strategies and initiatives back home.
Throughout the HLPF, I participated in various interviews that were shared across different social media platforms. This amplified our voices and brought the concerns and experiences of our communities to the international stage. By taking voices from the ground to the “New York bubble,” we were able to contribute to the shadow civil society report, which highlighted critical issues and provided alternative perspectives on the progress towards the SDGs.
Our participation also connected us with organizations like Pathfinders and IDLO, and we became members of several platforms that broadened our network and enhanced our advocacy efforts. These connections have been instrumental in learning how other organizations conduct their advocacy and how we can apply those lessons to our work.
The first year of attending such global meetings was about laying the foundation. Now, we need to build on that foundation and take our conversations to the next level. By framing our work around SDG 16, which we had not done in the past, we can better align our efforts with global goals and enhance our impact.
ACE-AJ’s new strategy, particularly Priority 4 Advocacy and Communication, outlines our commitment to promoting access to justice and legal empowerment. Our plans include launching campaigns to promote collaboration between recognized judiciary systems and community-based justice institutions, developing multimedia content to raise awareness about community-based justice systems, and actively participating in regional and global advocacy forums.
Through these initiatives, we aim to launch successful advocacy campaigns on collaborative initiatives between recognized and community-based justice institutions, develop and share multimedia content to raise awareness about community-based justice systems, actively participate in forums to shape global agendas for access to justice and advocate for financing and recognition of community-based justice practitioners, engage policymakers to advocate for the recognition and increased financing of community-based justice practitioners and increase media coverage and public awareness of ACE-AJ’s work, ensuring our role and impact are recognized and appreciated. In conclusion, attending global meetings like the HLPF has been crucial for ACE-AJ’s growth and effectiveness. It has allowed us to connect with key stakeholders, learn from other countries, and amplify the voices of those we serve. As we continue to build on this foundation, we are committed to advancing access to justice and legal empowerment across Africa.
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