The USAID Rule of Law Program-supported informational project Make Justice Accessible for All: Paralegal Initiative and Career Talks concluded. 

During one week, thirty Legal Aid Service (LAS) attorneys and consultants throughout Georgia had the opportunity to discuss human rights problems faced by society, including the restriction of women’s rights and human trafficking, and to gain knowledge about existing legal practices from judges and legal professionals. 

In parallel with this, the training of twelve student paralegals living in Adjara was also held. 

The students were selected through an open call, learned about human trafficking and women's rights, and had informational career talks with judges, ombudsman, practicing lawyers, and civil society representatives on issues such as the requirements and criteria for entry into the legal profession, skills required to be successful legal professionals, challenges to the profession, and the need for and importance of continuing education. 

The second stage of the informational project will start in September, when the student paralegals and the lawyers of the LAS will visit the highlands of Adjara to meet with local populations so they know more about their rights and the services available for their protection. The LAS lawyers and consultants have daily contact with the local communities from the different regions of Georgia, and actively pursue solutions to the community’s legal problems through free legal consultations and advocacy services.

“I am glad that we student paralegals have completed the training course supported by the USAID Rule of Law program, and we look forward to when we will meet the people of Adjara and talk about their rights. We acquired important knowledge, and the meetings planned in the villages of Adjara together with the lawyers of the Legal Aid Service will help us students to determine our own future careers,” said Salome Kokosashvili, a student. She continued: “In the modern world, the restriction of women's rights and human trafficking has become urgent and hotly debated issues. That is why it is important for everyone to know their rights, so they can better protect their rights and those of their loved ones.”

The keynote speakers included: LAS Director Razhden Kuprashvili, Rule of Law Program Manager at USAID/Caucasus Rusudan Tabatadze, and USAID Rule of Law Program Chief of Party Giorgi Chkheidze. 

The trainers were: judges from the Tbilisi Court of Appeals Diana Berekashvili, Tamar Alania and Tamar Oniani; Professor Marina Meskhi; Public Defender of Georgia Nino Lomjaria; Chair of the Georgian Bar Association Davit Asatiani; Executive Director of the Georgian Bar Association Giorgi Tchekhani; and Lia Putkaradze founder of the Organization Saorsa.