Getting legal help can be difficult for many people in Africa. For people living in rural areas, finding a lawyer can mean travelling long distances. Legal services can also be expensive, making them hard to afford.
Technology is now helping to change this situation. Across Africa, organisations are using phones, websites, social media and other digital tools to bring legal information closer to ordinary people.
One example is the Gender and Justice Unit (GJU) in Malawi. The organisation was started by legal scholar Sarai Chisala-Tempelhoff. It works to help people understand their legal rights and find support when they face legal problems.
The organisation first used simple booklets to explain laws and legal rights. It later introduced digital services, including the EmpowerLine toll-free service. This allows people to seek information without having to travel to a lawyer’s office.
In Tanzania, lawyer Neema Magimba also saw the need for easier access to legal services. Many people in rural areas had to travel to cities to find lawyers.
She created Sheria Kiganjani, which means “the law in hand”. The digital platform was launched in 2018. It provides legal information through both online and offline services.
Uganda has also embraced technology to improve access to justice. BarefootLaw uses digital platforms, social media and radio to share legal information. It has also created BarefootLaw Boxes in rural areas.
These spaces allow people to connect with lawyers without travelling to Kampala. The organisation explains legal issues using simple language and everyday examples.
Kenya is another example of how technology is helping to make legal services more accessible. The National Legal Aid Service (NLAS), established under the Legal Aid Act of 2016, provides legal assistance to people who cannot afford a lawyer, including vulnerable and marginalised communities. People can apply for legal aid through the NLAS website, while the organisation also provides legal information and runs community legal-aid clinics.
Technology does not solve every problem. Many people still have limited access to smartphones, internet services and affordable data. However, digital tools are helping to remove some of the barriers that keep people away from legal services.
As technology continues to grow, more Africans could find it easier to understand their rights and get legal help. From simple phone calls to digital platforms and artificial intelligence, technology is slowly bringing justice closer to the people who need it most.
