CEU Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2010
| Author | Lagi, Odinakaonye |
|---|---|
| Title | HUMAN RIGHTS AND POVERTY REDUCTION: EXPLORING THE RELEVANCE OF LEGAL EMPOWERMENT OF THE POOR IN POVERTY REDUCTION IN NIGERIA |
| Summary | This thesis rests on the premise that legal empowerment of the poor arms communities and individuals with the necessary power needed to challenge oppressive patterns of legal, social, political and economic organization which cause and perpetuate poverty. The focus country Nigeria is a developing country in Africa which is faced with challenging complexities from bad governance, corruption, lack of infrastructure, geographical challenges, obsolete laws, oppressive social and political organization and 70% population living in poverty. With all the daunting complexities and the fact the Nigeria is at the brink of a failed state, this thesis makes a point that legal empowerment must be integrated widely in all aspect of policy and law making, as well as law enforcement and implementation. The thesis proves how relevant and crucial legal empowerment of the poor is in terms of its contribution to creating active participation of the rural communities in advocacy efforts, community organizing, accountability and monitoring of government projects, as well as in creating communities with deep rooted respect for human rights. All these put together ensures active and viable participation in economic life that would inevitably lead to reduction in poverty. It concludes with recommendations on how methodologies of legal empowerment can be integrated into various existing institutions such as integrating legal empowerment of the poor into rule of law reform at local court level- that is the Customary and Sharia Courts. It also offers recommendation on integrating legal empowerment of the poor into Legal Aid Council of Nigeria, and advocates for Law Clinic programs and establishment of the institution of paralegals. |
| Supervisor | Macklem, Patrick |
| Department | Legal Studies MA |
| Full text | https://www.etd.ceu.edu/2010/lagi_odinakaonye.pdf |
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