A Systems Approach for Providing Legal Aid for Land
By: M. Sunil Kumar
This paper explores five models of legal empowerment for securing land rights for the rural poor in India: two focus on paralegal work, two emphasize education, and the fifth utilizes community resource persons. They include:
- The Society of Elimination of Rural Poverty (SERP) combines community-based paralegals, community surveyors, and land centers to increase access to justice.
- Legal Services Authority (LSA) trains volunteer paralegals from certain target groups.
- Andhra Pradesh Mahila Samatha Society (APMSS) educates women on land rights.
- Landesa conducts a phone-in legal literacy television program and oversees a Land Rights Center at a nearby law school.
- The Government of Odisha trains village-based Community Resource Persons (CRPs) to bridge the gap between government officials and landless families.
The paper analyzes the strengths and weaknesses of each program, compiling the findings into a list of essential components for an ideal legal aid system that addresses land rights for the poor in rural India.