LAC Project Through EU Funding Promotes and Protects the Rights of Marginalized San Communities

VERGENOEG/GOBABIS, OMAHEKE REGION – The Legal Assistance Centre (LAC), with support from the European Union (EU), is proud to announce the commencement of a five-day field-based paralegal training programme aimed at empowering San communities across Namibia through legal capacity building and promoting community safety. This training, scheduled for November 19–23, 2024, in Gobabis and Vergenoeg in the Omaheke Region, is part of a series of interventions coordinated by LAC to strengthen access to justice for marginalized communities in Namibia.

This training, as part of LAC’s San Empowerment Project, seeks to enhance access to justice and legal support in areas with limited legal resources. The focus is on building the capacity of trainee paralegals—community-based practitioners—who will play a crucial role in promoting community safety and ensuring legal empowerment in their respective San communities. This series of training interventions will support paralegals in their work to protect and promote the legal rights of their communities.

The central theme of this particular training is community safety, with a special emphasis on the Vergenoeg San community’s experiences with community policing. The Vergenoeg community has been successful in developing and implementing community-led initiatives aimed at crime prevention and conflict resolution, providing valuable lessons for other San communities in Namibia.

Key Training Objectives:

• Enhance paralegals’ understanding of the relationship between community safety and access to justice, healthcare, education, and other essential services.
• Learn from the Vergenoeg community’s experience in community policing and explore how these strategies can be adapted and implemented in other San communities.
• Foster partnerships between paralegals, community leaders, law enforcement, and local authorities to support sustainable community safety and legal empowerment.

Special Focus on Vergenoeg’s Community Policing Initiatives:

A key component of the training is a field visit to the Vergenoeg San community, located approximately 150 km from Gobabis. Here, the trainee paralegals will have the opportunity to engage with community leaders and learn first-hand about the community’s successful community policing initiatives. This visit will provide valuable insights into how community-driven efforts can improve safety, reduce crime, and ensure greater access to justice for marginalized groups.

Training Programme Overview:

• Day 1: Arrival and orientation of participants, including trainee paralegals from across Namibia.
• Day 2: Full-day classroom sessions focusing on community safety and the role of paralegals in supporting legal rights and services.
• Day 3: Field visit to Vergenoeg to observe and learn from their community policing experiences.
• Day 4: Official introduction of selected trainee paralegals, with statements of support from local government representatives.
• Day 5: Reflection and wrap-up, as paralegals prepare to return to their communities with new skills to advance community safety and legal empowerment.

The Honorable Pijoo Nganate, Governor of the Omaheke Region, will officially introduce the selected trainee paralegals on November 22, 2024. The Governor’s address will highlight the importance of paralegals in advancing community safety and supporting the rights of marginalized communities.

Expected Outcomes:

By the end of the training, the paralegals will have:

• Gained a deeper understanding of how community safety impacts legal rights and access to services.
• Developed practical skills in conflict resolution, community mediation, and legal support for safety-related issues, such as gender-based violence, land disputes, and youth crime prevention.
• Strengthened their capacity to collaborate with community leaders, local authorities, and law enforcement to build safer, more resilient communities.

-ENDS-

Media Inquiries:

Ms. Corinna Van Wyk, Lead Project Coordinator, Legal Assistance Centre (LAC)
Tel: +264 (0) 61 22 33 56
Email: cvanwyk@lac.org.na

Mr. Twaku Kayofa, Press Officer, EU Delegation to Namibia
Tel: +264 (0) 61 290 6247
Email: Twaku.Kayofa@eeas.europa.eu