PRESS RELEASE Profound Need for Legal Aid Services in South Punjab Lahore, March 31, 2015 – Presenters at an event to launch a new Punjab Access to Justice Project funded by the European Union shared the findings of a Baseline Study of legal representation and a Household Survey of public perceptions about justice, which identified a profound need for legal aid services – especially to address family and land disputes – and an almost complete lack of these services available to poor and vulnerable people in southern Punjab districts. The Acting Ambassador of the European Union Delegation in Pakistan, Mr. Stefano Gatto, spoke of the EU’s commitment to supporting the rule of law in Pakistan and noted, “This is the first public event of the Punjab Access to Justice Project. The main aim of the project is to assist poor and vulnerable members of society to understand and better claim their rights.” Lahore High Court Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, Secretary Punjab Public Prosecution Department Mr. Ali Murtaza, and senior representatives of the Punjab Bar Council also spoke at the gathering. The event marked the formal launch of a new three-year European Union project, which aims to increase access to justice in Punjab, especially in the three southern districts of Multan, Bahawalpur, and Muzaffargarh. The project’s goals are to enhance legal aid and paralegal services related to both civil and criminal matters, to improve the quality and efficiency of judicial and prosecution systems, and to increase information available to the public about the law and justice systems. The new project was launched at a gathering in Lahore of 40 senior representatives of the Lahore High Court and district judiciary, Punjab Public Prosecution Department and district prosecution offices, Punjab Bar Council and district bar associations, Punjab Judicial Academy, and non-governmental organisations. The meeting included discussion about shared goals for the Punjab justice sector and recommendations about the project from all key stakeholders. The Household Survey, conducted by Trust for Democratic Education and Accountability / Free and Fair Election Network (TDEA/FAFEN), the Baseline Study, and other information and resources will be available soon on the project website at www.eu-a2j.com. The European Union Punjab Access to Justice Project is being implemented by a consortium led by Galway Development Services International (GDSI), based in Galway, Ireland. For more information, please contact: Muhammad Sherbaz 0300-841-6281 [email protected]