Awn Access to Justice Network in Gaza Strip


It used to call "Network of Legal Aid Providers Awn", in March 2013 the member of the network change the name to "Awn Access to Justice Network in Gaza Strip" AJ Net. Also known as "Awn Network", many people in Gaza prefer to call it Legal Clinics, it was established by UNDP/PAPP – Gaza in ِApril-2011. It’s comprised primarily from organizations that are non-public, non-state civil society actors that are politically unaffiliated.

The Network

The members of Awn Network are; the, human right organizations, community-based organizations and academic institutions, the permanent secretariat of the Awn Network is within the Palestinian Bar Association. In 2012 network members provided legal aid services to more than 23,000 people, of whom 72% were women.
Awn Net has invested heavily in coordination and cooperation within the 20 members of the network by supporting dialogue meetings, referral mechanisms, the case management system and the legal aid database, while continuing to provide capacity development support to individual network members and working to ensure sustainability of the network.
Awn Network has provided legal services to mainly poor and vulnerable people, to strengthen their access to justice and solve their legal problems at the lowest and simplest level possible.

Legal services provided

Legal services start with legal information and education, giving people knowledge that they have rights under the law and how to exercise them. Such knowledge and confidence can help in solving legal problems without recourse to the courts, a cost-effective and empowering strategy. Where legal remedies are available, this can be the cheapest and simplest form of legal aid, and the one where the greatest resources should be applied.
Legal advice is often less costly than providing assistance – understood as helping a person to take legal steps to protect their rights.
Free judicial representation by Awn Network’s legal aid lawyers is only limited to poor individuals who can’t afford paying courts fees or lawyers’ costs.
Statistics for people Benefited from Awn Access to Justice Network in Gaza Strip, From April 2011 to May 2013.
Total of BeneficiariesFemalesMales
Legal Advice and Consultation411528261289
Legal Mediation306520601005
Legal Representation34227369
Judicial Representation 38832761
Judicial Representation 870750120
Total878062362544
Successfully Adjudicated 23918158
Successfully Adjudicated 622490132

SessionsHoursTotal of BeneficiariesFemalesMalesBoysGirls
128864436,35827,5808766102

Type of AssistanceTotal of BeneficiariesFemalesMalesBoysGirls
Social Assistance41310010
Psychosocial Support103093372025
Other Assistance19751756192027
Total30462720264062

Legal Aid Clinics

The Awn Network oversees 14 legal aid clinics. There are two types of legal clinics, university/in-campus legal clinics and community legal aid clinics. The community legal aid clinics are based at civil society organizations and aims at providing free of charge legal services to needy people and enhancing access to justice. The purpose of in-campus legal clinics is to encourage students’ engagement with the issues and concerns of the community. In addition, students are exposed to hands-on legal experience and they receive high-quality training on legal skills

Gaza Legal Aid Network Members

The Secretary-General for Awn net is Mr Salama Bseiso 2011-2013, the following NGOs are the main members of the net: