- Program Civil Society
- Program Area Increasing Access to Justice
- Grant Amount $150,000
- Grant Period January 1, 2019–December 31, 2020
- Location Lilongwe, Malawi
- Geographic Focus Malawi
About this grant
The Paralegal Advisory Service Institute was established in 2007 to make justice accessible to all people in Malawi. By improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the justice system, the grantee aims to make the justice system responsive to the needs of all users, particularly the poor and vulnerable. They deploy trained paralegals to provide legal education, advice, and assistance in criminal justice processes. The grantee also promotes the work of the informal justice system by providing village mediation services as part of its civil justice approach. The grantee’s village mediation program complements both the formal and informal justice systems by resolving disputes at the early stages before they escalate. This grant will assist the Paralegal Advisory Service Institute to strengthen both its village mediation and criminal justice work, thereby increasing access to justice for poor and marginalized people in Malawi.