When we initially probed the situation within the informal sector, we uncovered a concerning trend: a high proportion of women were unaware of their rights, laws, and policies. Many women lacked knowledge of where to report abuses or violations, or how to access legal advice. Even for those who were aware of legal aid services, barriers such as distance and financial costs hindered their access.
Over 95% of women traders were unaware of avenues for reporting rights violations.
To address these challenges, we implemented the following methods:
- Training paralegals to provide legal aid to market traders.
- Equipping Legal Community Supporters (LCS) to offer legal advice and assistance to market traders.
- Strengthening the relationship between markets and the Gender and Children Police Desk.
- Increasing awareness about where to access legal services and report violations.
- Collaborating with market officials, leaders, and municipal authorities to encourage reporting of rights violations and enhance capacity for proper penalties.
- Referring clients to lawyers and other NGOs specializing in justice.
- Enhancing women’s awareness of their rights, including inheritance rights, property rights, and marriage laws.
Through these efforts, we aim to empower women in the informal sector by ensuring they are knowledgeable about their rights and have access to the legal support they need.
Source: EG study, 2009
Successes:
- 7,168 market traders throughout 4 districts received free legal aid advice
- LCS & Paralegals provided legal advice to approximately 4,000 traders
- Established Paralegal centers in4 districts
- Developed the first informal sector manual on taxation, licensing, registration and economic rights to be a resource for other CSOs to use
- 75 Paralegals were trained and are active throughout 3 regions of Tanzania
- Organized the first mobile legal aid clinics in the markets, reaching over 700 market traders
- Nearly 11,000 beneficiaries received legal education on probate, marriage, contracts and sexual offences
- More than 13,200 books on marriage law, land law, contract law and guidelines for market traders have been distributed to market traders
- We helped provide advice and referrals to more than 200cases
- 200+ legal documents drafted.