UNDP Africa
107d ago
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Expanding access to justice through small claims courts in Eswatini
How is access to justice becoming more accessible in Eswatini?
With support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the judiciary established a Small Claims Court that provides lawyer-free services and helps bring justice closer to communities.
Since 2021, the court has resolved nearly 10,000 cases, around 60% involving women and youth. The system enables women, particularly those working in the informal sector, to recover debt and protect their livelihoods.
In 2023, a legal aid office established in partnership with the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs further expanded access to legal services and mediation, assisting more than 1,000 walk-in clients, many of them women.