Access to legal aid is a fundamental component of ensuring justice for all. Around the world, many people face significant barriers in accessing legal services due to factors such as high costs, lack of awareness, and geographical constraints. These barriers often result in individuals being unable to defend their rights, seek redress, or navigate the complexities of legal systems. This lack of access to legal aid perpetuates cycles of poverty and injustice, undermining the rule of law and the protection of human rights.

In Uzbekistan, the provision of free legal aid has been a critical issue, particularly for vulnerable groups such as women, youth in rural areas, and people with disabilities. Since 2016, the Government of Uzbekistan has embarked on a comprehensive reform agenda aimed at strengthening the rule of law, promoting and protecting fundamental human rights and freedoms, and enhancing the efficiency of the justice system in alignment with international standards. Despite these significant reforms and improvements in Uzbekistan's standings in international indices such as the Rule of Law Index 2021 (85th out of 139 countries globally) and the 2020 World Bank's Women, Business and Law (134th out of 190), many challenges remain. The most vulnerable populations in Uzbekistan continue to lack awareness about their rights and have limited access to affordable and effective justice remedies, including free legal advice, representation, and justice services in compliance with human rights standards.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has been pivotal in advancing the provision of free legal aid in Uzbekistan, significantly enhancing access to justice for vulnerable populations. This initiative aligns with the broader goal of UNDP project “Strengthening the rule of law and human rights protection in Uzbekistan” jointly implemented alongside the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Uzbekistan, funded by the Government of Finland. A key component of this effort has been the implementation of the Low Value Grants Program, which has empowered local non-governmental and civil society organizations to deliver primary free legal aid across various regions of Uzbekistan. 

Overview of the Low-Value Grants Program

The low-value grants program, part of the larger project aimed at strengthening the rule of law and human rights protection, was designed to support Uzbek NGOs in providing free legal services. A total of nine NGOs received grants amounting to USD 89,100 to facilitate these services. The grants were strategically distributed among the NGOs to ensure a wide geographical coverage, including regions such as Kashkadarya, the Republic of Karakalpakstan, Navoi, Djizakh, Tashkent, Samarkand, and Bukhara.

All selected CSOs organized mobile and online legal consultations in remote villages of Uzbekistan. Apart from that, they delivered info-sessions for the vulnerable groups including women for the “iron notebooks” and the “youth notebooks”, people with disabilities, women and youth residing in rural communities, etc. 

In addition to the work on appeals from citizens, including women and people with disabilities, civil society organizations delivered training for activists of mahalla committees as well as on-site events providing knowledge on how to navigate online legal platforms to receive free online legal assistance.

To raise awareness of population on their rights, all NGOs created brochures and flyers focused on informing vulnerable groups of population about their rights and opportunities. Printed materials were distributed widely during the workshops and info-sessions. The brochures and fliers covered topics such as:

• Overview of government disability assistance programs and eligibility criteria

• Disability rights enshrined in national laws and international conventions

• Accessible healthcare, education, and public infrastructure requirements

• Guidance on how to register for disability benefits and services,

• Mechanisms of protection from gender-based violence, etc.

As a result of the grant program, all NGOs have collectively provided primary free legal aid to more than seven thousand individuals, with a significant focus on women, people with disabilities, and youth. These services have been complemented by 164 legal awareness-raising events, which engaged 3942 participants. Additionally, 10 276 legal awareness-raising materials, such as brochures and information leaflets, were published and disseminated to further educate the public on their legal rights and available resources. Overall, these NGOs were able to extend critical legal support to more than seven thousand of individuals in need who would have otherwise struggled to afford professional legal advice. The grants enabled them to expand the reach and scope of their free consultation programs significantly. 

The support provided through the low-value grants program has led to numerous success stories, highlighting the transformative impact of free legal aid.

NGO Nihol: This organization has been instrumental in assisting survivors of gender-based violence by helping them secure protection orders, settle property disputes, obtain alimony, and file for divorce. Their legal interventions provide essential support for navigating complex legal systems.

NGO Oydin Nur: With 25 years of experience as a shelter, lawyers of NGO “Oydin Nur” have ensured protection of a survivor of gender-based violence from Bukhara region at the time when lawsuits, protection orders, and appeals to various organizations did little to improve her situation.

NGO Rahmdillik: This NGO focuses on providing shelter and frontline support specifically for individuals with disabilities in remote areas, such as the Samarkand region. Lawyers of NGO Rahmdillimk focused on providing services to people with disabilities from remote areas of Samarkand region and helped them to receive low-interest educational loans, gain employment and obtain social housing. 

NGO Sharoit Plus: Through its legal assistance, Sharoit Plus empowers individuals with disabilities to gain employment and secure educational grants, enhancing their socio-economic status. Finally, legal specialists NGO Sharoit Plus have developed 72 easy-to-read educational materials for persons with mental disabilities and created Telegram bot for online consultations in order to make legal aid more accessible for people with disabilities.

These individual successes reflect the broader positive outcomes of the UNDP's support, demonstrating how legal aid can empower individuals, protect their rights, and improve their overall well-being. 

UNDP as part of its project activity will continue to enhance the capacity of civil society to provide free legal aid to vulnerable population by continuing the Low Value Grants Program, which provides funding to CSOs to support their efforts in delivering free legal assistance, organizing workshops and trainings and fostering partnerships between CSOs and government organizations through networking events and roundtables. The overall goal of the project is to empower civil society to play a more prominent role in ensuring that vulnerable populations in Uzbekistan have access to free, quality legal services, thereby strengthening the rule of law and promoting social inclusion.