PILC releases Report on Access to Justice
27/11/2017
The Public Interest Law Centre, in partnership with the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, has released a report on access to justice in Manitoba. Justice Starts Here: A One-Stop Shop Approach for Achieving Greater Justice in Manitoba is the result of over two years of research that included speaking with community groups, frontline workers, and people who have tried to access the civil justice system.
The report looked at availability, accessibility, acceptability, and adequacy in defining what access to justice means. The report also outlined some of the barriers groups most at risk face, including people living in rural or remote parts of Manitoba, people living in poverty, Indigenous people, newcomers, people with health conditions or disabilities (both physical and mental), precarious workers, and women survivors of family violence.
Understanding unique access to justice challenges faced by specific groups highlights the importance of a more holistic or integrated and consumer-driven approach. This means moving away from a “one-way street” approach where the legal community views itself as the catalyst for solutions. Instead, access to justice work must be situated in understanding all facets of peoples’ lives, including the economic, political, and social spheres.
For access to the full report, click here.
