Legal aid to the poor

UAFL WILL IMPLEMENT THE PROJECT. UNA WILL INCREASE FUNDING FOR UAFL, SO THAT THE LATTER MAY ASSUME INCREASING PROJECT COSTS AND CONTINUE THE LEGAL AID PROGRAM AFTER THE GRANT EXPIRES. PROJECT COMPONENTS INCLUDE VISITS MADE TO RURAL AREAS BY MOBILE LEGAL CLINICS OPERATED BY LAW STUDENTS AND PROFESSORS; PROMOTION, THROUGH THE MASS MEDIA, OF THE USE OF CLINIC SERVICES; COMPLETION OF LEGAL INTERVIEW FORMS AND OF A LEGAL AID SERVICE MANUAL; AND COMPLETION OF DRAFT LEGISLATION EXEMPTING THE TARGET GROUP FROM LEGAL TAXES. PROFESSORS, LAWYERS, AND LAW STUDENTS WILL GIVE CONSULTATIONS AND WILL INTITIATE LEGAL PROCEEDINGS, AS REQUIRED, AT UAFL"S CENTRAL OFFICE IN ASUNCION AND AT THE MOBILE CLINICS. FIELD OPERATIONS WILL BEGIN IN THE MINIFUNDIA REGION, WHICH HAS THE GREATEST CONCENTRATION OF RURAL POOR IN PARAGUAY. MOBILE CLINICS WILL ALSO TRAVEL TO PRISONS TO OFFER LEGAL AID TO PRISONERS NOT YET ASSIGNED A DEFENDER. BRIEF SURVEYS WILL BE CONDUCTED TO DETERMINE THE AREAS IN WHICH LEGAL ADVICE WILL BE MOST USEFUL. IT IS EXPECTED THAT LAND TENURE AND USE PROBLEMS WILL BE MOST PREVALENT AND SPECIAL ATTENTION WILL BE DIRECTED TO THESE AREAS. LEGAL INTERVIEW FORMS WILL BE PREPARED FOR EACH LEGAL TOPIC IN ORDER TO ENSURE THAT LAW STUDENTS CONDUCT INTERVIEWS SYSTEMATICALLY AND IN ORDER TO RECORD ALL INTERVIEWS. BASED ON FINDINGS OF INTERVIEWS, EVALUATIONS, AND BASELINE DATA, POLICIES AND OPERATING PROCEDURES WILL BE INCORPORATED INTO A MANUAL GOVERNING FUTURE ACTIVITIES OF THE LEGAL AID SERVICE. MEMBERS OF THE UAFL WILL PREPARE LEGISLATION EXEMPTING LEGAL SERVICE CLIENTS FROM THE LEGAL TAX, RELATED TO THE VALUE OF THE ITEM IN DISPUTE, AND WILL URGE ITS PASSAGE WITHIN THE THREE YEARS OF THE GRANT. IT IS ANTICIPATED THAT THE LAW SCHOOL WILL PROVIDE FREE OR LOW-COST LEGAL AID TO THE RURAL POOR NATIONWIDE AND THAT STUDENT PARTICIPATION IN THE PROGRAM WILL BE A REQUIRED PART OF THE CURRICULUM BY THE END OF THE PROJECT.