Egyptian MP Hussein Hreidi, a member of the Justice Party's parliamentary body, has submitted a draft law to the House of Representatives to establish a National Coordinating Body for Legal Aid and Enhanced Access to Justice. The proposed law, supported by over a tenth of the council members, aims to address the scattered efforts of providing legal assistance by various entities.
The project targets the creation of a unified system that guarantees the availability of these services to those who cannot afford them and to priority groups. This way, financial circumstances or lack of knowledge of legal procedures will not hinder citizens from obtaining their rights. A national entity will coordinate between concerned institutions, including judicial bodies, the Egyptian Bar Association, universities, and civil society organizations.
The proposed law suggests establishing a public entity with financial, administrative, and technical independence, reporting to the President of the Republic, with its main headquarters in Cairo. The entity's board of directors will comprise representatives from judicial bodies, the Ministry of Justice, the Egyptian Bar Association, universities, specialized national councils, experts, and civil society representatives.
The project includes mechanisms such as the creation of a National Observatory for Access to Justice to monitor the availability of legal services, identify legislative and institutional gaps, and track shortcomings. It also proposes the establishment of a unified electronic platform that allows citizens to submit requests for legal assistance and follow up remotely while protecting personal data and maintaining the confidentiality of beneficiary information.
The draft law requires the preparation of a five-year national strategy for legal assistance, renewable, in consultation with concerned parties. It also involves forming specialized technical committees to handle files such as setting standards, training, digital transformation, and international cooperation.
The project outlines sources of funding for the entity, including allocated appropriations from the state's general budget, accepted grants and donations, and revenues from training activities and programs. The entity's budget will be subject to oversight by the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics.
The proposed law consists of 30 articles distributed over nine chapters, regulating the formation of the entity, its competencies, mechanisms of action, and supervision over it. The law also includes transitional provisions that oblige the government to issue an executive regulation within six months from the date of its enforcement.
Key points
- The proposed law aims to provide Egyptian citizens with better access to justice.
