Free Legal Aid: A Human Right, not “Charity”
K.R.Mangalam University, India
Volume III, Issue IV, 2020
Legal aid means assisting the people who are unable to afford the legal services and who face problem in getting access to judicial system. Legal aid plays a very necessary role by ensuring equality before law, protection of rights to life and personal liberty, the right to fair trial. Every nation should follow the concept of legal aid and it is specifically mentioned in Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR),1948 and International covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), 1966
This research paper hereby answers the question scuh as What is free legal aid?, To whom it shall be given ? Is legal aid a charity or a basic human right?, What are the constitutional provisions related to legal aid?, What are the types of legal services provided?
This research paper describes legal aid in broadest sense as a fundamental human right, which is providing public access to legal representation, legal institutions, legal information, legal advice, legal education and knowledge.
The major objective of writing this research paper is to understand the role of state from a human rights perspective rather than of a charity one.
This paper will conclude various case reviews along with human rights treaties and conventions.
Keywords: Legal Aid, Human Right, Legal Representation