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Who we are

Microjustice is a Dutch Foundation that works for the Legal Empowerment and Inclusion of marginalized people and victims of humanitarian disaster.

The organization began its work in the post-war legal rehabilitation of refugees in the Former Yugoslavia and helped them reclaim their pre-war rights. Microjustice focused on solving refugees’ legal problems in all aspects of life, by arranging their identity-related documents across borders (81,088 documents in Serbia and Croatia), restoring property, solving banking issues, and ensuring pensions -to name a few-. A small branch of the program is still running today, arranging around 1000 documents across borders for (ex)refugees annually.

The concept of Microjustice was tested and developed in Bolivia as of 2007. It takes the model of Microfinance as a basis to produce a sustainable model of legal services for the poor. The experience in Bolivia was used to establish Microjustice Country Organizations in Peru (2008), Argentina (2010) Kenya (2011), Rwanda (2012), while operations in the former Yugoslavia use the sustainable businessmodel of Microjustice for cross-border legal aid to (ex)refugees.

Track-Record Microjustice

1996:

Microjustice is set up as a Dutch Foundation that specializes in the Legal Protection of marginalized people and victims of disaster.

1996-2006:

Microjustice works in the post-war legal rehabilitation of the refugees in the Former Yugoslavia and helps them reclaim their pre-war rights. Microjustice focuses on solving refugees’ legal problems in all aspects of life, by arranging their identity-related documents across borders (81,088 documents in Serbia and Croatia), restoring property, solving banking issues, and ensuring pensions -to name a few of the numerous problems.

Taking inspiration from its large-scale legal rehabilitation programs in the former Yugoslavia, Microjustice undertakes assessment missions for post-conflict legal rehabilitation in Georgia, Iraq, Sudan and Colombia. These assessments show that settling the legal issues of displaced populations (largely related to legal paperwork) is crucial for successful post-disaster rehabilitation anywhere, and is also essential for sustainable development (legal empowerment of the poor). As a result, the concept of Microjustice is born in 2006 to provide standardized legal services in basic legal needs of vulnerable people in sustainable manner.

2007-2017

The concept of Microjustice is tested and developed in Bolivia as of 2007. It takes the model of Microfinance as a basis to produce a financial sustainable model of legal services for the poor and marginalized. The experience in Bolivia is used to establish Microjustice Country Organizations in Peru (2008), Argentina (2010), Uganda (2010), Kenya (2011), Rwanda (2012), while operations in the former Yugoslavia use the model for continued cross-border legal aid to (ex)refugees.

2018-now:

The experiences with legal service provision in these countries were fundamental in the development of the Legal Right’ Protection Program with its Digital Legal Aid Platform and the Legal Rights’ Protection Barometer.

25
Years of successes

SDG 16: LEAVING NO ONE BEHIND

Both the Legal Rights’ Protection Barometar and the Digital Legal Aid Platform contribute to achieving Sustainable Development Goal 16 as set by the United Nations: ‘promoting peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development. by providing acces to justice for all and building effective, accountable and inclusive instituion at all levels.’
Alignment al our ambition with the UN Sustainable Development Goals

Start campaign to promote Universal Access to Legal Protection with the roll out of the Legal Protection Barometer and Legal Protection Platform globally

2021

Legal Protection Barometer and Legal Protection Platform method developed and tested in Serbia, Kenya and Bolivia

2018 - 2020

Global Legal Protection Program launched Publication Microjustice Methodology Handbook & Microjustice Handbook for Humanitarian Crisis

2017

Wider recognition of Microjustice

+ Humanitarian Innovation Fund awards Microjustice
+ Cordaid Scale-up Award

2014

Establishment of Microjustice Rwanda

2012

Establishment of Microjustice Kenya

2011

Establishment of Microjustice Argentina and Uganda

2010

Publication of first Microjustice Handbook

Initial Experiences & Best Practices in Bolivia, Peru and Croatia/Serbia

2009

Establishment of Microjustice Peru

Establishment of Microjustice Peru: replication of the Microjustice Method

2008

Practical Implementation of the Microjustice approach in Bolivia

Practical Implementation of the Microjustice approach in Bolivia

2007

Smaller scale legal rehabilitation services in the former Yugoslavia

After 10 years large-scale legal service provision to the refugees, smaller scale continuation of legal rehabilitation services in the former Yugoslavia, arranging around 1000 documents across borders for (ex)refugees annually.

2006

Roundtable meeting in Madrid

As a result, the concept of Microjustice is born, and its development started

2006

Large-scale legal services programs for displaced populations in post-war situations

Large-scale legal rehabilitation program for the refugees in the former Yugoslavia and assessment missions, advising on how to set up legal rehabilitation programs for the displaced populations in Sudan, Colombia, Iraq and Georgia/South Ossetia

1997-2005

Established as International Alliances

Established as International Alliances working in the post-war former Yugoslavia with its first office in Vukovar

1996