USAID’s Governance for Inclusive Growth (GIG) Program and the Vietnam Lawyers’ Association (VLA) collaborated to support the revision of the 2006 Law on Legal Aid. Legal Aid is the provision of free legal assistance to those who cannot afford it. This law provides guidance for all legal aid stakeholders including beneficiaries, legal aid providers, and the state’s management and funding of legal aid. The draft law is scheduled for a second reading and approval by the National Assembly and is expected to be adopted during the upcoming May session. Prior to submission to the National Assembly, GIG and the VLA held a consultative workshop on May 12 to gather final inputs and recommendations from VLA members and non-governmental organizations. The workshop reviewed opportunities and challenges for legal aid under the draft law; international comparative legal aid practices; and the government’s responsibilities for ensuring access to legal aid services. Leaders from the National Assembly’s Legal Committee, which is now reviewing the law, the drafting team and other relevant agencies attended the workshop. The VLA will incorporate feedback from the workshop in a report to the National Assembly and other government agencies highlighting the main workshop findings.
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