Throughout the world, the pandemic has pushed people further away from access to justice. In Morocco, ASF has been relying for several years on legal clinics, set up in universities, to promote access to justice, particularly for people in vulnerable situations. Under the supervision of teachers and legal professionals, students provide legal services to the population.

ASF joins the Open Society Foundation, APCOF, PALU, and ACJR in a campaign to promote the decriminalisation and declassification of minor offences. Particularly affecting people in vulnerable situations, these laws and their application are both arbitrary and discriminatory. “Vagrancy”, “disorderly behaviour” or “idleness” remain valid grounds for arresting and imprisoning individuals, contributing to the endemic overcrowding of prisons throughout the world.

For the victims of human trafficking, Tunisia could be their country of origin or their destination country, or they could be in transit. Since 2016, Tunisia has had a strong legal framework for combatting the phenomenon, but how can effective collaboration between the actors involved be ensured? ASF and the national anti-trafficking body organised an international conference to take stock of the issue.

For several months, from the Kef to Sfax, hundreds of people have been mobilising to free Manel, Kayta, Morjena, and Hamma. These four mannequins symbolise the victims of human trafficking, a widespread though little-known phenomenon in Tunisia. ASF and its partners have decided to confront this taboo, in order to increase awareness and change behaviour.

Without a birth certificate, you can be deprived of a large number of rights. How can you access health care without an identity document? How can you go to school? How can you vote? Most Central Africans, particularly young people, do not exist in the eyes of the State. In response to this problem, Avocats Sans Frontières is organising mobile judicial hearings: members of the court, the public prosecutor’s office and the court registry travel to villages to hand down supplementary rulings on birth certificates.

Hoima – Since August 2014, ASF has actively supported communities threatened by industrial activities in the Hoima district of western Uganda by empowering communities and making them aware of their rights. The ASF team in Hoima recently hosted the Belgian Ambassador, an encouraging sign for the affected communities and the NGO.

At the 13th United Nations Congress on Criminal Justice, held in Doha (Qatar) until 19 April, ASF will be sharing its experience in post-conflict countries and countries in transition, during 2 side-events. The first one (on 14 April) will address the role of the justice system in democracry-building in Tunisia. The second one (on 16 April) will focus on pre-trial detention.

Bujumbura, Burundi – Do refugees contribute to the life and development of the country that receives them? For ASF, the answer is a clear yes. To mark World Refugee Day, ASF is launching an awareness-raising campaign in this regard in Burundi. This small African country, which is home to 50.000 refugees, is overflowing with fantastic stories of solidarity and hopes for the future.

Tunis/Monastir – ASF welcomes the recent judgments of the Monastir trial court, which require five companies to pay compensation to 311 female workers who were wrongly dismissed in 2013. This judgment emphasises that respect for workers’ rights is obligatory for all employers operating in Tunisia, including multinational companies established in the country.

Even after the revolution in 2011, when faced with everyday problems, people in Tunisia often have no other choice than to take to the streets to express their discontent. Formal participation mechanisms, such as town hall assemblies or meetings with administrators, are not always accessible and/or available to them. ASF helps marginalised populations to enter into dialogue with local authorities.