| In Tanzania, paralegals are working at different levels of local administration and have succeeded to establish good rapport with local government leaders starting at the Regional level, District level, Division level downwards to ward, village and sub-village level. Some paralegal units had succeeded to acquire legal registrations.
WLAC managed to mentor and open about 23 Paralegal Units in Tanzania. They include:
- Arusha Women Legal Aid and Human Rights Centre (AWLAHURIC)
- Women Wake Up (WOWAP)
- Iringa Paralegal Unit
- Katesh Paralegal Unit Hanang Women Counseling and Development Association (HAWOCODA)
- Kibaha Paralegal Unit
- Kigoma Paralegal Unit
- Kilimanjaro Paralegal Unit-Kitengo cha Msaada wa Kisheria kwa Wanawake na Watoto Kilimanjaro (KIMSWAKI)
- Mbeya Paralegal Unit
- Morogoro Paralegal Centre for Women and Children
- Mwanza Paralegal Unit
- Paralegal Centre Shinyanga(PACESHI)
- Songea Paralegal Unit
- Tanga Paralegal Aid Scheme for Women and Children
- Mara Paralegal Unit-Musoma
Through a combination of education, training, and work experience, paralegals are trained to perform “substantive” legal work and are “an integral part of the legal team.” Paralegals learn the nuts and bolts of the legal profession and understand the importance of careful and thorough research. WLAC believes paralegals or legal assistants are the ground floor of advocacy and often, are every bit as important as lawyers.
In many distinct ways, if well trained, paralegal’s duties include the same tasks as lawyers who assume responsibility for the legal work, but paralegals would not practice law and are prohibited from dispensing legal advice, trying a case in court, or accepting legal fees.
Some of the Roles played by Paralegals in Tanzania include:
- Identification of people who are denied of their rights by using different source of information and help them to attain justice
- Provision of legal and social counseling
- Advise community members on matters concerning legal procedures
- Monitoring of human rights violations and encourage the community to do the same
- Conduct awareness creation training in community on legal and human rights issues
- Direct and inform clients the relevant institutions dealing with right protection
- Make suggestions to the litigant and give advice
- Propose questions and submission to the liltigant or accused person, who may put the same in action
- Coach clients on how to express and behave in the court of law
- Make follow up of the filed cases
- Reconciling different social and legal disputes
Thus, a well trained paralegal will work hand in hand with lawyers, helping to prepare cases for trial. In their preparatory work, they will uncover the facts of the case, conduct research to highlight relevant case law and court decisions, obtain affidavits, and assist with depositions and other materials relevant to cases. A significant portion of a paralegal’s work involves writing reports and drafting documents for litigation.
After the initial fact-gathering stage, the paralegal would prepare reports for use by the supervising lawyer or advocate in deciding how the case should be litigated.
Paralegals involved with community legal services also help disadvantaged persons in need of legal aid. Much of their time can be spent listening and escorting clients to court and other administrative authorities. A well trained paralegal serves the community better as compared to a lawyer who may not thoroughly know the community well.
WLAC managed to open up 23 Paralegal Units countrywide. The regions include Arusha, Manyara(Katesh), Morogoro, Shinyanga, Mbeya, Kigoma, Tanga, Mwanza, Kibaha, Kilimanjaro, Songea, Kiteto, Kyela, Singida, Tabora, Bukoba, Kondoa, Kibaha Women in Development and Environment Society (KIWODESO), Rukwa, Mara, Kiteto Faith based paralegal. |
