s10691-018-9371-6.pdf (706.85 kB)
Power and rights in the community: paralegals as leaders in women's legal empowerment in Tanzania
What can an analysis of power in local communities contribute to debates on women’s legal empowerment and the role of paralegals in Africa? Drawing upon theories of power and rights, and research on legal empowerment in African plural legal systems, this article explores the challenges for paralegals in facilitating women’s access to justice in Tanzania, which gave statutory recognition to paralegals in the Legal Aid Act 2017. Land conflicts represent the single-biggest source of local legal disputes in Tanzania and are often embedded in gendered land tenure relations. This article argues that paralegals can be effective actors in women’s legal empowerment where they are able to work as leaders, negotiating power relations and resisting the forms of violence that women encounter as obstacles to justice. Paralegals’ authority will be realised when their role is situated within community leadership structures, confirming their authority while preserving their independence.
History
Publication status
- Published
File Version
- Published version
Journal
Feminist Legal StudiesISSN
1572-8455Publisher
Springer VerlagExternal DOI
Issue
1Volume
26Page range
47-64Department affiliated with
- Law Publications
Full text available
- Yes
Peer reviewed?
- Yes
Legacy Posted Date
2018-04-05First Open Access (FOA) Date
2018-04-05First Compliant Deposit (FCD) Date
2018-04-04Usage metrics
Categories
No categories selectedLicence
Exports
RefWorks
BibTeX
Ref. manager
Endnote
DataCite
NLM
DC