Access to Justice

Access to Justice (AJ), founded in 1999, is a Nigeria-focused human rights organization based in Lagos. According to their website, "it is a justice advocacy group working to defend the rights of equal and non-discriminatory access to courts of law, expand access of marginalized people to equal and impartial justice, attack corruption in justice administration, support legal struggles for human dignity and disseminate legal resources that help achieve these purposes."[1] AJ pursues their goals through three related programs: Judicial Integrity and Independence Programme; Legal Access Programme; and Legal Resources Programme. They publish books, journals, and articles in support of their work.

Partnerships

Access to Justice has frequently partnered with other human rights organizations in pursuit of specific issues. In June 2010, Access to Justice joined with Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and several other Nigerian human rights organizations in calling on state governments not to resume the execution of prisoners.[2] In April 2009, they joined Amnesty International and many other Africa-based NGO's in issuing a statement, calling on the government of Sudan "to stop harassing and intimidating human rights defenders and staff of national and international aid and human rights organizations."[3]

Awards and Recognition

Access to Justice was one of the winners of the 2009 MacArthur Award for Creative & Effective Institutions. This award is granted to small organizations who bring fresh approaches to long standing problems. The award by MacArthur Foundation was in recognition of access to justice's work towards reviving the coroner system in the Nigerian legal system, investigating suspicious deaths.[4]

Access to Justice was also the winner of the 2010 Gani Fawehinmi prize for Human Rights and Social Justice. The Nigerian Bar Association, who sponsored the prize, praised Access to Justice for providing legal representation, and for their litigation and advocacy work.[5][6]

See also

References
  1. "Access to Justices - Home". Accesstojustice-ng.org. Archived from the original on 2 September 2010. Retrieved 2010-09-16.
  2. "Execution of prisoners must not resume in Nigeria, News, Amnesty International Australia - Working to Protect Human Rights". Amnesty.org.au. 2010-06-26. Archived from the original on 2011-06-03. Retrieved 2010-09-16.
  3. "Nigerian, Kenyan rights groups deplore harassment of Sudan aid - Sudan Tribune: Plural news and views on Sudan". Sudan Tribune. Retrieved 2010-09-16.
  4. "Access to Justice - MacArthur Foundation". Macfound.org. Retrieved 2010-09-16.
  5. "NGO Wins Gani Fawehinmi Prize". P.M. NEWS Nigeria. 2010-08-27. Retrieved 2010-09-16.
  6. "Nigeria: NBA Honours Service to Humanity". allAfrica.com. 2010-08-31. Retrieved 2010-09-16.
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