SERVICES
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Justice and Human Rights:
Highly vulnerable people often need legal help to ensure their rights are protected and that they have access to the services they need. Through her legal aid desk, CEDO-Uganda helps indigent persons especially women and children to access free legal aid services including, land and property ownership disputes, child abuse/violence, birth registration and birth certificates and inheritance rights.
Our work raises awareness among the general public and also engages with relevant duty bearers (the government). CEDO-Uganda employs the Rights Based Approach (RBA) which allows women and young people affected by poverty and social injustices to be at the centre of their own development and influence decision-making processes.
CEDO also promotes alternative dispute resolution where appropriate and legal representation for those necessitating formal court system. Often, this process involves psychosocial support for victims of abuse (such as for the children who have lost a parent or faced with neglect), as this nature of stress threatens their development. This can lead to serious implications for children, increasing their vulnerability to exploitation, abuse, and neglect.
CEDO-Uganda’s psychosocial support interventions target teachers and other community structures to better understand and address the emotional and psychological needs of affected children. Over the years, CEDO-Uganda has trained Child Protection Advocates (CPAs) and Paralegals to provide regular home visits to vulnerable households, creating an outlet for children to share their feelings. These volunteers also help caregivers to problem solve and cooperate better with children in their care. They also refer children and families to needed services.