Annual Report 2003
Legal Education Program
The objective of the Legal Program is to initiate and support the increase of public awareness and promote information on legal issues; to develop a law-abiding culture in Poland; and to assist citizens in gaining access to legal knowledge, in identification and application of the legal protection tools available to them.
During 2003, we facilitated the application of legal instruments protecting individual interests, and supporting citizens in claiming and executing their rights. We prioritised projects of practical value that provided effective solutions to specific problems of everyday life and focused on initiatives that would help people find their way amongst rules and procedures often perceived by them as confusing, and develop their knowledge and skills that would enable them to use the legal provisions to their best advantage. It was important for us to ensure that the projects sponsored under the Legal Education Program were implemented in cooperation with local governments and non-governmental organisations, and had a long-term strategy in terms of further development and funding.
In 2003, our partners were mainly non-governmental organisations, since they played a crucial role in the application of, and adherence to, legal provisions by both individuals and public bodies in Poland. These included the Alliance of Citizens’ Advice Bureaus Association, University Legal Clinics Foundation, and Iustitia Judges Association.
As part of our activities aimed at increasing access to legal knowledge and information, we continued to support University Legal Clinics and Citizens’ Advice Bureaus. The main aim of these organisations is to provide free and impartial information on legal issues, as well as professional advice to individuals facing serious problems. In the case of the Citizens’ Advice Bureaus, this task is carried out by experts who underwent special training; in Legal Clinics the advisors are law students supervised by university teachers or representatives of the legal profession with appropriate experience. In 2003 we awarded grants to 24 already operating or newly established Citizens’ Advice Bureaus, to the University Legal Clinics Foundation established in 2002, as well as to the University Legal Clinics at the Gdańsk University, and the Collegium Polonicum in Słubice.
In addition, we supported activities in the field of legal assistance and aid to people facing serious problems: the Nobody’s Children Foundation dealing with child abuse problems, Women’s Rights Centre, and the Citizens’ Advice Bureau for the Roma community in Cracow. Considerable attention was given to educational projects dealing with various legal issues and human rights. We supported groups, for whom legal information was of primary importance, such as the disabled, ex-convicts or youth. Some grants were awarded to local civic anti-corruption groups collaborating with the Foundation’s Anti-Corruption Program and organisations promoting mediation, such as the Polish Mediation Centre.
Working together with the Iustitia Polish Judges Association, we continued a project entitled Citizen at Court, involving the establishment of information desks at courthouses offering user-friendly, straightforward information about basic legal issues. We provided subsidies towards the publication of advice manuals prepared by non-governmental organisations, such as the East-West Association, the Coalition for Mental Health Association and the Baba Lubuskie Association for Women.
In collaboration with the Iustitia Polish Judges Association and the Helsinki Human Rights Foundation, we continued our Journalist in Court sessions for judges and journalists covering court trials. The purpose of those sessions is to ensure mutual recognition and better understanding of working conditions in both communities, establish contact, and exchange experience and opinion. The ultimate goal is to set up conditions for better public understanding of work performed by the judiciary thanks to competent and reliable media information. Meetings are attended by journalists of the regional and local media, and by judges working in the area. The agenda of all meetings involves an open discussion around topics concerning media-courthouse relations, and mock court trials with roles swapped: journalists take on relevant courthouse parts (judges, prosecutors, attorneys, defendants, and witnesses), whereas judges are responsible for drafting press, radio, and TV materials describing the “trial”. Sessions were held in Kielce, Katowice and Cracow.
In 2003, the Program received partial funding from the Open Society Justice Initiative (PLN 536,61.47).
| Grants: |
PLN 862,163.00 |
| Journalist in Court project: |
PLN 37,796.34 |
| Operating costs: |
PLN 136,040.36 |
| Total: |
PLN 1,036,000.00 |
University Legal Clinics
|
Collegium Polonicum, Legal Clinic
Słubice |
Free of charge legal counselling for the residents of Słubice by the students of the faculty of law |
PLN 8,000 |
Academia Iuris Foundation
Warsaw |
Establishing Students’ Legal Clinic operating at parishes and NGOs in Warsaw and the adjacent communities |
PLN 17,000 |
University of Gdańsk, University Legal Clinic
Gdańsk |
Free of charge legal counselling for the residents of Gdańsk by the students of the faculty of law |
PLN 10,000 |
Foundation of University Legal Clinics
Warsaw |
Supporting University Legal Clinics and preparing them for advising on cases concerning corruption and NGO legislature |
PLN 170,000 |
Citizens’ Advice Bureaus
|
Citizens’ Advice Bureau
Wrocław |
Citizens’ Advice Bureau for the residents of Wrocław (in 2003 Bureau advised on 7181 issues) |
PLN 7,100 |
John Paul II Foundation, Citizens’ Advice Bureau
Lubaczów |
Citizens’ Advice Bureau for the residents of Lubaczów and adjacent communities (in 2003 Bureau advised on 158 issues) |
PLN 11,100 |
Kawęczyn Development Society
Kawęczyn |
Citizens’ Advice Bureau for the residents of Kawęczyn and adjacent communities (in 2003 Bureau advised on 119 issues) |
PLN 7,100 |
International Centre of Education and Development
Mielec |
Citizens’ Advice Bureau for the residents of Mielec and adjacent communities (in 2003 Bureau advised on 453 issues) |
PLN 7,100 |
Association for the Support of Local Initiatives
Mikołajki |
Citizens’ Advice Bureau for the residents of Mikołajki and adjacent communities (in 2003 Bureau advised on 233 issues) |
PLN 7,100 |
Together – Forum of Organisations and Associations
Puławy |
Citizens’ Advice Bureau for the residents of Puławy and adjacent communities (in 2003 Bureau advised on 335 issues) |
PLN 11,100 |
Help Organisation of Ruda Śląska
Ruda Śląska |
Citizens’ Advice Bureau for the residents of Ruda Śląska and adjacent communities (in 2003 Bureau advised on 155 issues) |
PLN 9,000 |
Słupsk NGO Support Centre
Słupsk |
Citizens’ Advice Bureau for the residents of Słupsk and adjacent communities (in 2003 Bureau advised on 139 issues) |
PLN 9,000 |
Social Action Association
Gdańsk |
Citizens’ Advice Bureau for the residents of Gdańsk (in 2003 Bureau advised on 3139 issues) |
PLN 7,100 |
Association of Originators of Cultural Initiatives in Rural Areas
Jonkowo |
Citizens’ Advice Bureau for the residents of Jonkowo, Olsztyn and adjacent communities (in 2003 Bureau advised on 550 issues) |
PLN 7,100 |
Social Information Centre Association
Warsaw |
Citizens’ Advice Bureau for the residents of Warsaw and adjacent communities (in 2003 Bureau advised on 3761 issues) |
PLN 11,100 |
Social Information Centre Association
Przemyśl |
Citizens’ Advice Bureau for the residents of Przemysl and adjacent communities (in 2003 Bureau advised on 2206 issues) |
PLN 11,100 |
Civic Information Association
Jarosław |
Citizens’ Advice Bureau for the residents of Jaroslaw and adjacent communities (in 2003 Bureau advised on 571 issues) |
PLN 5,000 |
Association for the Unemployed
Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski |
Citizens’ Advice Bureau for the residents of Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski and adjacent communities (in 2003 Bureau advised on 1115 issues) |
PLN 5,000 |
Association for the Development of the Town and Community of Debrzno
Debrzno |
Citizens’ Advice Bureau for the residents of Debrzno and adjacent communities (in 2003 Bureau advised on 126 issues) |
PLN 11,100 |
Children’s Aid Association
Garwolin |
Citizens’ Advice Bureau for the residents of Garwolin and adjacent communities (in 2003 Bureau advised on 365 issues) |
PLN 7,100 |
Association of Non-Material Aid – Chance
Krosno |
Citizens’ Advice Bureau for the residents of Krosno and adjacent communities (in 2003 Bureau advised on 344 issues) |
PLN 5,000 |
Law-Citizen-Democracy Association
Wieruszów |
Citizens’ Advice Bureau for the residents of Wieruszów and adjacent communities (in 2003 Bureau advised on 3791 issues) |
PLN 11,100 |
Together Association
Gdynia |
Citizens’ Advice Bureau for the residents of Gdynia (in 2003 Bureau advised on 5400 issues) |
PLN 7,100 |
Wielkopolska Civic Initiative Association
Poznań |
Citizens’ Advice Bureau for the residents of Poznań and adjacent communities (in 2003 Bureau advised on 1928 issues) |
PLN 11,100 |
Citizens’ Wielkopolska Association
Konin |
Citizens’ Advice Bureau for the residents of Konin and adjacent communities (in 2003 Bureau advised on 312 issues) |
PLN 11,100 |
Association of Citizens’ Advice Bureaus Support
Łomża |
Citizens’ Advice Bureau for the residents of łomża and adjacent communities (in 2003 Bureau advised on 1310 issues) |
PLN 11,100 |
Silesian Foundation in Support of Entrepreneurship and Local Initiative Pro Futuro
Radzionków |
Citizens’ Advice Bureau for the residents of Katowice, Radzionków and adjacent communities (in 2003 Bureau advised on 567 issues) |
PLN 5,000 |
Committee for Protection of Children’s Rights
Częstochowa |
Citizens’ Advice Bureau for the residents of Częstochowa (in 2003 Bureau advised on 308 issues) |
PLN 9,000 |
Union of Citizens’ Advice Bureaus Associations
Warsaw |
Preparing and implementing a system of standards and quality evaluation of the services provided by the Citizens’ Advice Bureaus |
PLN 36,300 |
Advice and Legal Counsel
|
Federation of Educational Initiatives
Warsaw |
Centres for counselling on education law in Małopolska, Mazovia and Łódź Provinces |
PLN 13,000 |
Women’s Rights Centre
Warsaw |
Legal counsel and educational activities for women |
PLN 15,000 |
Women’s Rights Centre
Częstochowa |
Advising and legal aid for women in Częstochowa |
PLN 5,000 |
Women’s Rights Centre
Gdansk |
Advising and legal aid for women in Gdańsk |
PLN 8,000 |
Women’s Rights Centre
Cracow |
Advising, legal aid and care (night lodgings) for women in Cracow and adjacent communities |
PLN 10,000 |
Women’s Rights Centre
Łódź |
Advising and legal aid for women and women’s situation monitoring |
PLN 10,000 |
Nobody’s Children Foundation
Warsaw |
Implementation of A Child Protected by the Law – legal and psychological aid for children – crime victims and their families and improvement of procedures for crisis interventions |
PLN 36,000 |
Children’s Aid Foundation
Żywiec |
Legal advising for the disabled, publishing information leaflets and organisation of a training course |
PLN 5,000 |
Barge Foundation for Mutual Assistance
Poznań |
Legal aid for the homeless and people in difficult life situations |
PLN 10,000 |
Municipal Public Library
Wasilków |
Legal information for the community of Wasilków |
PLN 6,000 |
International Lawyers’ Committee – Polish Section
Warsaw |
Free of charge legal aid for prisoners and former prisoners by the students of the faculty of law and resocialization of the Warsaw University |
PLN 8,550 |
Bell Association for the Disabled
Łęczyca |
Legal aid and information for the disabled |
PLN 7,200 |
Polish Centre for Human Rights
Cracow |
Free of charge legal aid for the poor and acting in courts of law as civic representatives |
PLN 20,000 |
Association of the Roma Cracow-Nowa Huta
Cracow |
Legal advisory office for the Roma residents of Cracow and adjacent communities |
PLN 20,000 |
Bona Fides Association for Equal Opportunities
Lublin |
The formation of a network of free of charge legal and psychological advising in Lublin |
PLN 30,000 |
Association for Foster Parenting
Poznań |
The dissemination of legal information and advising for foster families and persons willing to become foster parents |
PLN 15,000 |
Hope Local Association of Families and Friends of the Mentally Ill
Suwałki |
Legal aid for mentally ill persons and educational activities for the mentally ill and their families |
PLN 19,200 |
Friends of Children Society
Morąg |
The formation of three legal and civic information centres in Morąg, Łukty and Małdyty |
PLN 16,000 |
Legal Information
|
Consumers Federation
Warsaw |
The preparation, publication and distribution of a leaflet Consumer at Court informing about the ways to claim consumers’ rights |
PLN 7,440 |
Foundation for Support of Local Democracy
Poznań |
The preparation, publication and distribution of the information brochure Court fees exemption and legal aid in court cases |
PLN 5,800 |
Coalition for Mental Health
Warsaw |
The preparation, publication and distribution of a guide book Law for everyone on court cases on the basis of Mental Health Protection Act |
PLN 15,500 |
Baba Association for Women
Zielona Góra |
The preparation, publication and distribution of leaflets: Be safe in court…(marriage, children, family) and Be safe in court… (property relations in a marriage) |
PLN 15,000 |
Polish Humanitarian Action, Pomeranian Bureau
Toruń |
The preparation, publication and distribution of two guide books: on the issue of alimony and the costs in civil cases |
PLN 5,260 |
East-West Association
Warsaw |
The preparation, publication and distribution of a guide book Patient’s situation in the Polish legal system and in the Polish reality” |
PLN 8,400 |
Local Civic Groups
|
eFKa Woman’s Foundation
Cracow |
To Know in Order Not to Give project – legal education on anti-corruption (discussions) and the monitoring of transparency of local government |
PLN 10,000 |
Fate Lublin Self-Help Centre Association
Lublin |
Transparent Lublin project – preparing and providing information on comba-ting corruption on the educational website www.los.lublin.pl |
PLN 4,600 |
Law-Citizen-Democracy Association
Wieruszów |
Advice and information for persons who came in contact with corruption |
PLN 5,000 |
Together Association
Gdynia |
Gdynia under a Magnifying Glass project – monitoring of Gdynia local government activities |
PLN 8,250 |
Other grants
|
Polish Centre for Mediation
Warsaw |
What do I Know about Corrective Justice in Poland? project – seminars and contest for the students of gymnasium schools on mediation |
PLN 15,000 |
Iustitia Polish Judges Society
Warsaw |
The Improvement in Functioning of the Court System in Poland project – specifying positive practices and their dissemination among judges and persons in charge of court activities |
PLN 57,000 |
| Dagmara Baraniewska, Heinrich Böll Foundation, Warsaw, Anna Wadera, Women’s Rights Centre, Warsaw |
Participation in the training for trainers in the program of combating family violence and sexual abuse, Vilnius, Lithuania (the training organised and financed by the OSI Justice Initiative) |
PLN 2,562.26 |
Łukasz Bojarski, Helsinki Human Rights Foundation, Warsaw, Jan Szwajca, Associaton for Mental Health, Kraków
Journalist in Court |
Participation in the meeting of human rights experts, Istambul, Turkey (the training organised and financed by the OSI Justice Initiative) |
PLN 3,401.04 |
| Journalist in Court |
Continuation of a cycle of two days workshops for judges and court journalists, launched in 2001 in cooperation with Iustitia Polish Judges Association and the Helsinki Human Rights Foundation. In 2003 three meeings: in Kielce (March 21-22), Cracow (June 6-7) and Katowice (December 12-13) were organized. |
PLN 37,796.34 |
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