Staff Reporter
THE Legal Assistance Centre (LAC) and the European Union (EU) recently held a legal empowerment programme in Tsumkwe, bringing together San paralegals from across the country to strengthen community-level legal awareness, improve access to justice, and promote the protection of human rights.
The programme, which ran from 8 July 2025 to 11 July 2025, was part of the broader EU-funded LAC project Empowering San Communities – Legal Capacity Building for Human Rights Access.
According to the LAC, the project enabled San paralegals to deepen their understanding of legal rights and public institutions, gain hands-on experience in radio-based education and community advocacy, provide direct legal support within their communities, and form new connections with oversight bodies and fellow paralegals.
EU Ambassador to Namibia, Ana Beatriz Martins, who took part in the engagement, reiterated the European Union’s strong commitment to rights-based development.
“The European Union is proud to support initiatives that place communities at the centre of justice. Witnessing the work being done on the ground affirms our belief that legal empowerment is key to inclusive development,” Martins said.
She further highlighted the EU’s focus on equipping communities to understand and exercise their rights, noting that strategic partnerships—such as those with the LAC and the Office of the Ombudsman—play a vital role in achieving sustainable impact.
“This partnership with the Legal Assistance Centre and the Office of the Ombudsman highlights our shared commitment to ensuring that Namibia’s most marginalised communities, such as the San, are equipped with the knowledge, tools, and institutional backing they need to claim and defend their rights,” Martins said.
