Publication

This essay suggests that two strands of social action which have hitherto developed separately—legal empowerment and social accountability—ought to learn from one another. Drawing from the experience of Timap for Justice in Sierra Leone and similar efforts in many parts of the world, the author advocates five defining principles of the legal empowerment approach. These are 1) a focus on concrete solutions to instances of injustice; 2) a combination of litigation and more flexible, grassroots tools like education, organizing, advocacy, and mediation; 3) a pragmatic, synthetic orientation towards plural legal systems; 4) a commitment to empowerment; and 5) a balance between rights and responsibilities.