Somali Legal Aid Network

The Somali Legal Aid Network (SLAN) brings together sixteen legal aid NGOs across Somaliland, Puntland, Jubbaland and south central regions of Somalia. It is the first network of its kind and the only forum to bring local NGOs working on justice issues together across all regions of Somalia. The SLAN provides a forum through which legal aid providers can share information about common challenges and successful strategies to provide marginalised groups with access to justice, keep updated on changes in the legal system and receive trainings and technical support.

To date, the SLAN has:

• Participated in regional workshops on the creation of the SLAN in 2014 and 2015;
• Come together for the first SLAN roundtable in Addis Ababa in June 2015, where all member organisations shared their experiences and challenges and identified the priorities for the SLAN to address;
• Participated in a training on the investigation of gender-based violence crimes, identified as a priority area for capacity building by SLAN members;
• Assisted in the production of the first security guidelines for legal aid providers working with gender-based violence survivors and in other sensitive areas. All organisations identified security concerns as an urgent priority to be addressed, including electronic security, security of communications and personal safety. The organisations then worked through the roundtable in Addis Ababa and in separate consultations held in each state with LAW staff and two international security experts, who then produced practical, implementable guidelines for legal aid providers across all regions of Somalia. The English version of these guidelines can be accessed here;
• Released two joint advocacy statements on sexual and gender-based violence, and arbitrary arrest and detention;
• Contribute to the production of bi-annual newsletters on the experiences and challenges of SLAN members, as well as developments in law and policy, circulated to SLAN in English and Somali. Previous versions of these newsletters can be accessed here, and here.

The Somali Legal Aid Network is made up of the following organisations:

• Save Somali Women and Children
• Somali Women’s Development Centre
• Elman Centre
• Association of Somali Women Lawyers
• Serve Women And Children Empowerment Development Agenda (SWACEDA)
• Somali Young Lawyers Association
• New Dawn
• Justice Watch Association
• Somalia Women Development Network (SOWDEN)
• Puntland Women Lawyers Association (PUWLA)
• Puntland Legal Aid Centre (PLAC)
• Puntland State University (PSU) Legal Aid Clinic
• Somaliland Women Lawyers Association (SWLA)
• Somaliland Lawyers Association (SOLA)
• University of Hargeisa Legal Aid Clinic
• Amoud University Legal Aid Clinic