Legal aid reform under debate
The global reform of legal aid systems came under debate at the second European Access to Justice Forum, organised by the Open Society Justice Initiative and the Public Interest Law Initiative, and which was held in Budapest last month.
Legal experts from 40 countries debated the issue. Since the First European Forum on Access to Justice in late 2002, new legal aid legislation has been adopted in several countries across Europe as well as in Nigeria. Successful implementation of these new laws will depend on further efforts by governments to strengthen the institutional framework for legal aid service delivery, increase investment for long-term sustainability, and work with legal aid advocates and the Bar to improve professional standards, said James Goldston, the Open Society Justice Initiatives Executive Director. Full report on Open Society Justice Initiative site