LHRC 2024 Legal Aid Report
Legal and Human Rights Centre (LHRC) has issued its Legal Aid Annual Report 2024, a comprehensive reflection of the struggles, resilience, and victories of thousands of Tanzanians who sought justice but could not afford legal representation.
The report demonstrates how LHRC continues to be a lifeline for the marginalized, particularly women, children, and persons with disabilities, by providing free legal aid, protecting property rights, restoring dignity, and resolving disputes. It also underscores the systemic barriers that prevent equal access to justice, such as poverty, limited legal literacy, and institutional bottlenecks, while emphasizing the transformative role of legal aid in bridging the gap between vulnerable communities and the justice system.
Key Highlights:
1. LHRC attended to 36,778 clients in 2024, a 25% increase from 29,491 in 2023
Of these, 69% were male and 31% female, showing persistent gender disparities but also growth in female clients.
2. Land disputes dominated with 58% of all cases, followed by family cases (14%). and *labor disputes* (10%)
3. The organization won 192 court and tribunal cases, including landmark constitutional challenges that nullified Section 37 of the Immigration Act and Section 44(1) of the Law of Limitation Act, reinforcing judicial independence
4. Additionally, 197 disputes were resolved through reconciliation, showing LHRC’s commitment to dialogue over prolonged litigation
5. LHRC assisted 895 children in conflict with the law, with 98% being boys
6. Poverty remains a key barrier:66% of clients earned below TZS 100,000 monthly, demonstrating the vital role of free legal aid.
However, LHRC recommends establishing clear and transparent guidelines for presidential pardon to avoid arbitrariness; strengthening accountability in arrest procedures through mandatory uniforms, IDs, and oversight; addressing arbitrary denial of bail to reduce unnecessary remand detentions; ensuring children in conflict with the law are not placed in adult prisons by improving juvenile protection systems; and reforming the outdated Prisons Act to align with human rights standards while empowering oversight institutions for more effective monitoring.
Click below to download the full report
