The USAID Rule of Law Program continued its support of the Legal Aid Service of Georgia (LAS)’s campaign, to “Make Justice Accessible for All,”

This month, the campaign trained 54 student-paralegals from the Adjara and Imereti regions.

On October 27 and 28, Judges Tamar Alani, Diana Berekashvili and Tamar Oniani from the Tbilisi Court of Appeals conducted trainings on women’s rights in Batumi and Kutaisi, 

The judges talked about women's labor rights, discrimination, and women's rights in family and inheritance law. The training sessions were highly interactive, providing a platform for students to delve into standards created by the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and recent case law from the European Court of Human Rights pertaining to women's rights.

LAS Director, David Simonia, in his welcome, extended his congratulations to the selected students, acknowledging their potential to make significant strides in their understanding of legal matters. He also highlighted the USAID Rule of Law Program’s exemplary practices as part of Batumi Rule of Law Hub, where paralegal students have already gained valuable knowledge and experience as a result of both the trainings and the legal consultations they have conducted in highland villages of Adjara.

The 54 participant students were selected through an open call (there were 130 applicants - 70 from Imereti and 60 from Adjara). During the training, students expressed their enthusiasm for the campaign, citing the importance of USAID-supported initiatives and their societal impact as key factors in their decision to participate. They believe this campaign will be instrumental in shaping their future success and opening doors to legally-related work.  

In the coming weeks, LAS and its campaign partners will help train student-paralegals on the best interest of the child, the basics of human rights, and the rights of persons with disabilities. They will also be provided the opportunity to improve their soft skills, such as creating presentations, communication, and public speaking.

Mock trials will be organized, involving local judges, the student-paralegals, and local youth. Starting in early December, the student-paralegals, under the guidance of LAS lawyers, will embark on mobile visits to the mountainous regions of Adjara. These visits will help them connect with local communities, raise awareness of their rights, and inform them about the available protective services.