IDAD holds inception meeting in Nimba County –for the Establishment of Legal Clinics/ Center

The Institute for Democratic Action and Development, (IDAD) has concluded phase two of its National Level Inception Meeting with CSOs/CBOs, Government Ministries, Agencies and Commissions, and Development Partners.

The Inception Meeting was held on the existing Laws, Policies, and Guidelines on Education, Land Rights, Decentralization, Freedom of Information, Revenue Sharing, and Sexual Gender-Based Violence in schools.  

It is part of activities to implement advocacy for the establishment of Regional CSOs Legal Clinics/Assistance Centers. 

The Inception Meeting was held on Wednesday, July 5, 2023, at the Auditorium of the Post Academy opposite the 8th Judicial Circuit Court in Sanniquellie City, Nimba County.

It brought together Representatives from USAID Civil Society Activity, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, the National Commission on Disabilities, and the National CSO Coalition.

Others were the Ministry of Education, the Liberia Immigration Service, the Land Authority, the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency, and the Liberia Revenue Authority.

During the program, Joseph Cheayan, Executive Director of the Institute for Democratic Action and Development, provided the overview of the Inception Meeting.

He mentioned that the event was intended to explain to stakeholders and partners the approaches and strategies of the project and to solicit their support in the implementation of the project activities.  

He further indicated that the gathering was meant to strengthen the capacities of CSOs/CBOs to advocate for policy and legal reforms on the existing policies, statutes/legislations, and laws.

Additionally, he pointed out that the significance of the occasion was to gather recommendations from stakeholders to strengthen advocacy for the establishment of the Regional Legal Clinics/Assistance Centers in Nimba County.

According to him, the Legal Centers will empower CSOs and CBOs to make policy analyses towards the reformation processes of these existing Laws.

Atty. Stephen Lavallah, a legal specialist of IDAD made an insightful presentation during the inception meeting. 

The presentation provided clear analysis and insight into the project-targeted Legislation and the Legal Clinics/Assistance Centers’ methodologies and approaches.

The Special Representative of the Ministry of Justice, Cllr. John Miah, County Attorney, Nimba County, stressed the significance of the legal clinic establishment, and how it will address some of the challenges residents and civil society organizations are faced with when it comes to accessing justice.

Cllr. Miah noted that the meeting has also sharpened and enlightened the minds of the participants on these existing laws, statutes, and policies.

Also making remarks, the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection County Coordinator in Sanniquellie, Nimba County, Yaah Belleh Suah welcomed the initiative and said the Legal Clinics/ Center will help address some of the challenges associated with gender-related offenses including domestic violence.

She urged IDAD to hire individuals who possessed the requisite legal competence to effectively implement the activities of the project in Nimba County.

The Gender, Children, and Social Protection Coordinator then pledged her institution’s unflinching commitment and support geared toward the successful implementation of the project.

For his part, the Representative of the Nimba County School Board, Presley Melewon thanked IDAD for the organization of the Inception Meeting.

Melewon said the meeting has greatly improved and enlightened citizens’ knowledge on the establishment of the Legal Clinics/ Center in the County.

Also making remarks, the Representative of the Liberia Land Authority and Administrator in Nimba County, Eddie K. Beargar praised IDAD for the worthy initiative.

Mr. Bearger noted that the land crisis in the county has huge consequences and as such, the establishment of Legal Clinics/Centers will strengthen, sharpen, and enlighten residents’ knowledge of the processes and procedures associated with the acquiring of land in the County.

The Institute for Democratic Action and Development is a civil society organization that fosters democracy, natural resource governance, Access to justice and the rule of law, and Natural Resource Management.

The project is a one-year program funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through DAI Global LLC. The project is being implemented in Nimba and Montserrado Counties. –Press release