NAHARLAGUN, 9 Aug: Arunachal Pradesh State Legal Services Authority (APSLSA) Member Secretary Yomge Ado inaugurated a legal aid clinic at the head office of the Arunachal Pradesh Women’sWelfare Society (APWWS) here on Friday.
The purpose of the clinic is to make justice accessible to all common people at the grassroots level, and to provide free legal aid to weaker/vulnerable sections of the society.
In his speech, Ado highlighted the rights of a legal aid seeker entitled under Section 12 of the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987, and the importance of paralegal volunteers, “who act as and effective bridge between the legal services institutions, legal seekers,and other institutions.”
He encouraged the participants to “reach out to the paralegal volunteers and the legal aid clinic directly for any legal services and assistance.”
APWWS president Kani Nada Maling highlighted the need for a legal aid clinic at the APWWS office, “especially for women vendors, who are often unaware of their legal rights.”
She said that, over the last year, the APWWS has focused on imparting adult education to women vendors, and has found that they frequently face various problems but don’t know whom to approach.
“The establishment of the legal aid clinic at the APWWS office here will make it easier for them to have their grievances addressed, and to receive legal counselling,” Maling said.
She further informed that the APWWS receives many phone calls seeking legal guidance, “so the clinic will cater to these needs.”
She thanked Ado for taking the initiative to open the legal aid clinic.
Papum Pare DLSA legal aid counsel Nega Taying spoke on the roles and functions of legal aid clinics, the rights of women, and the new criminal laws, while APWWS law coordinator Oyam Binggep spoke on how individuals can seek help through the legal aid clinic.
APWWS chief coordinator Yomjum Geyi Jongsam and spokesperson Tana Jaya Joram also spoke.
The executive members of the All Arunachal Street Vendors and Hawkers Association, and vendors from the Naharlagun and Itanagar markets also attended the programme.
