A Comparative Study Of Legal Aid Institutions In Their Pursuit Of Social Justice In Ghana

ABSTRACT Accessing justice has been challenging, particularly for the poor due to the cost involved in seeking legal services. This has resulted in the recognition of the need for legal aid in improving access to justice for marginalized, excluded and impoverished groups. The purpose of this research was to compare two legal aid schemes with respect to their capacity and delivery of social justice. Theoretically, the arguments of this study are grounded in the justice theory, vertical equity theory and access rights theory. Methodologically, this research adopted a case study design using two legal aid providers. These were the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) Ghana and the Legal Aid Scheme (LAS). In all, 15 Paralegals, 2 Alternative Dispute Resolution Officers (ADRs) and 59 beneficiaries across the legal aid centres were interviewed for the study, using an interview guide. The research was conducted in the Greater Accra Region. Sampling of the ADRs and Paralegals was done purposively. A multi-stage sampling technique was used in sampling beneficiaries. Both thematic and trend analyses were used. Generally, there is a high demand for legal aid services from both LAS and FIDA. The services of these two organisations - FIDA and LAS have helped their beneficiaries to access justice. However, the lack of followup on cases by the two legal aid providers; the low engagement in public awareness creation on the availability of legal aid; dependence on donor funds and limited coverage will affect the promotion of meaningful justice. To promote social justice, legal aid institutions need to constantly monitor and evaluate the welfare of their beneficiaries who access justice using an effective feedback mechanism. Additionally, accessibility across all geographical areas should be increased by creating legal aid zones.