Protimos uses the Rule of Law to empower marginalised communities in Southern Africa. Such communities are often the victims of unjust legal settlements with international corporations or governments simply because they are unable to assert their own legal rights. Therefore, we believe that the only way people can achieve sustainable legal empowerment is through the long-term ability to assert their community land and resource rights.
Exclusion from the Rule of Law has been noted by the United Nations to be both "a cause and a consequence of poverty". A fair and effective Rule of Law means that communities are both aware and able to use the law to assert their own rights. Therefore we believe that if poor communities can do this against forces larger than themselves, then they have a fair agency in their own sustainable economic development.
Protimos works on a case-by-case basis to help win legal battles for individual communities that then sets a legal precedent that can be used to help thousands more people. We have 3 programmes to achieve its objectives.
The Community Legal Empowerment Programme
The establishment of local legal centres, for example with the Seinoli Legal Centre in Lesotho, which can provide sustainable legal services and representation on behalf of marginalised communities. We also use our
The Judicial Action Group
A peer led resource for judges in Sub-Saharan Africa, providing an arena for judicial leadership on complex legal issues, through topic focussed meetings, and the use of a secure virtual platform.
The Greenlight Programme
The development of a set of protocols which provide a predictable framework of engagement promoting equitable resource management for equitable natural resources management for corporations and communities alike.
