The activities of legal networks under the system of free legal aid and within the volunteer initiatives related to the legal services in the period of martial law enforcement in Ukraine
Description
The focus of this study concerns the activities of legal networks under the system of free legal aid and within the volunteer initiatives related to the legal services in the period of martial law enforcement in Ukraine. The article outlines the legislative framework of the free legal aid system, identifies the areas and nature of the activities undertaken by legal networks, namely by the Coordination Centres for Free Legal Aid, the Association of Legal Clinics of Ukraine and the Legal Development Network. The study analyses the scope and types of free legal aid provided between 2022 and 2023 comparatively to the recent pre-war period. The dynamics in the scope of free legal services provided by the legal networks with reference to emerging issues and prospects for their further development are assessed. Additionally, the study addresses the particularities of volunteer initiatives related to the legal services along with their impact on promoting legal awareness among the civil population of Ukraine. This article represents an integral contribution to efforts aimed at understanding the role of legal networks in the period of martial law enforcement and how they are relevant to guaranteeing public access to justice and the protection of human rights in Ukraine.