Clear International

Press

CLEAR – Press Pack, September 2009

What is CLEAR?

CLEAR is a Christian Legal Aid project serving the people of any faith or none across East Africa . Our aim, in partnership with indigenous organisations of lawyers, is to educate the poorest communities, be they in the prisons, slums or rural communities as to their basic human rights and to offer legal aid and advice where appropriate. In so doing, we hope to develop access to the rule of law for the majority of peoples who have hitherto been excluded from justice.

What does CLEAR do?

CLEAR offers:

• Legal Education seminars in prisons, rural villages, churches and schools
• Legal Advice pursuant to the legal seminars and through the legal aid offices
• Legal representation in the most compelling cases
• Public interest litigation in pursuance of individual human rights

 
Most African countries we serve have Constitutions incorporating a broad swathe of international human rights but the poor and illiterate have no knowledge of them and are unable to claim those rights in the face of government apathy, intransigence or active oppression.
 
CLEAR provides access to justice through a voluntary legal aid scheme prepared to stand for the rights of the poorest in the community. What distinguishes us from other similar organisations is the sheer volume of cases handled by our core staff and the pro bono lawyers who are key to the success of the project.

Why CLEAR?

Quite simply, because CLEAR delivers! Last year over 64,000 clients benefited from pro bono advice delivered in large part by volunteers – and all this on a shoestring budget! There are many organisations advocating for human rights, but few deliver legal assistance to the poor in such volume.

Funding

CLEAR offices overseas receive core funding from the UK through CLEAR International’s fundraising efforts. They are then able to seek project specific funding locally through Justice Law and Order Sector development aid and by working in cooperation with other NGOs locally.
Contact
CLEAR is willing to comment on justice, human rights and rule of law issues in the countries of East Africa where we work. We can also provide pictures or case studies/contacts in the countries where we work, Rwanda, Uganda and Kenya.

For all press enquiries or comment and interviews on current issues in these areas, please contact:

Christine John
Director, CLEAR International
Tel: 01442 823853
Mob: 07909 912509
See http://www.clearinternational.org

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UK office
CLEAR International
PO Box 1270
Tring
Herts. HP23 6WD
See http://www.clearinternational.org