What we do
Our strategy involves forming collaborative partnerships between legal services providers and community organizations and to realize legal empowerment. Our Strategic directions build on our existing strenghts and current work and involves:
Legal
Empowerment
Goal: Legal problems are identified, prevented and resolved.
Promote legal awareness, advise and representation for equal meaningful legal assistance to individuals and community organizations through multiple formal and informal pathways. People who know their rights and who are informed on legal requirements will be more likley to avoid problems. On-the job mentorship approach ensures that community paralegals have greater confidence in assisting their peers knowing that help is available from a trusted legal advisor. Similarly, community organizations that assist disadvantaged people may do so more confidently and effectively if they know the legal implication of different decisions and the most effective procedures aspects that apply in addressing a particular problem. Empowerment comes from building the legal capability of both individuals and community agencies.
Address Intersecting
inequalities
Goal: Transform laws, policies and practices for diverse women and girls left out and left behind
The justice system has historically been male-dominated and male-oriented in both design and delivery of services. This has led to laws, policies, and practices that do not consider pathways for women who interact with the justice system; disadvantaging them at all stages – whether as user or as providers in the justice system. Diverse women and continue to suffer gender-based discrimination and gender inequality resulting from both perceived and concrete justice barriers. This contributes to various forms of violence and human rights violations. We recognizes that one voice cannot effectively speak for the multi-dimensionality of people’s experiences and the varied interests of gender groups. Our aapproaches are tailored, proportionate, efficient, and flexible to accommodate diverse interests and circumstances of those most in need.
National and Regional
Advocacy
Goal: Progressively influence system-level change that responds to the needs of socially marginalized and criminalized populations
Sometimes laws and social systems are unfair. Sometimes policies and practices have unintended consequences on certain persons and groups. This strategic direction will ensure that we will use the experiences of those we help and the legal experience of our subject matter experts to drive system-level change that can benefit many more. Through strategic engagement in community-driven advocacy at National and Regional platforms, we can progress laws, policies and practices that are responsive to the needs of disadvantaged communities and groups. We will be able to hone the valuable resource inherent in the lived experiences of communities and expertise and skills of legal professionals skills to lend credibility to advocacy initiatives and ensure sustainability.
Institutional
Strengthening
Goal: Establish a well governed and well-administered organization
NEXTGEN’s work has never been more important, yet we are coming in-to an increasingly challenging funding landscape. This strategy enables NEXGEN Lawyers recruit and retain appropriate staff, board and partners that will ensure that we can continue to scale up impactful interventions and achieve long-term financial stability. NEXTGEN Lawyers will develop and deliver programs that build organisational resilience, help us demonstrate our impact, and that help us make sound decisions about where we invest limited resources.
Research for
innovation and learning
Goal: Learn, develop and innovate through research and knowledge sharing
NEXTGEN Lawyers has already enhanced a culture of documentation and evidence-generation among its existing partners to increase support, better delivery of programs and improve advocacy for increased investment. This strategic direction will inform legal empowerment initiatives that are responsive and supportive of community organizing and other grassroots community efforts. Useful data and information that is relevant will be shared with communties to inform and strenghten their decision making and efforts.