On August 21, ABA ROLI signed a rapid response award under the CEPPS (Consortium for Elections and Political Process Strengthening) Consortium through USAID to carry out the Supporting Electoral Rights Education and Access to Justice program in eastern DRC. This program will provide legal assistance to individuals who are denied their electoral rights and protections, and further, will inform individuals what those rights and protections are.
Supporting Electoral Rights Education and Access to Justice
The program seeks to address needs related to the legislative, provincial, and local elections scheduled for December 2023. The ABA ROLI project educates citizens on how to seek redress for violations of their electoral rights if they occur, builds the capacity of a network of lawyers to respond to violations of electoral rights if they occur, and provides free and accessible legal aid to victims of electoral abuse through the operation of legal aid clinics.
Through this project, ABA ROLI has provided subgrants and technical assistance to CSOs including Dynamics of Women Lawyers (French, Dynamique des Femmes Juristes) and Innovations for Human Rights and the Environment (French, Innovations pour les Droits de l'Homme et l'Environment) to operate legal clinics and contribute to outreach initiatives.