Under its Legal Aid Program EWLA assists women, particularly disadvantaged women, who are victims of gender-based violence free of charge. The service includes legal advice/counseling, writing court briefs (court charges and affidavits) as well as representing clients in courts.

Legal Aid, handled by experienced lawyers and certified paralegals, is the most important service of EWLA both in its magnitude and coverage where over 113,000 clients across the country have received this service to date. Children, twofold of this number, have benefitted from the service since many women’s needs are related with issues of their children. The paralegals, trained and organized under several committees at grass root level and supervised by the branch offices, provide legal advice to women living around rural areas. Legal aid services are also provided by employees of the Association including volunteer legal professionals who are willing to provide pro-bono service.

EWLA’s legal aid program has played a key role in establishing its credibility and building its constituency through providing free legal aid service to disadvantaged women whose rights are violated. Previously, these women whose basic rights were denied had no recourse but to accept injustice. EWLA’s legal assistance has helped them with access to demand their legal rights in courts. Its impact goes beyond the outcome of any court decision. The awareness that women who are too poor to afford legal fees may still have access to justice strengthens their ill perceived position.

Different activities have been undertaken to help out female victims of violence as considerable number of the cases that come to the legal aid service are cases of gender based violence. The activities include providing legal advice at the office of EWLA, preparing various documents such as petitions, court briefs, affidavits and memorandum of appeals. In addition, depending on the seriousness of the case, staff and members of the association represent selected client cases in courts