Barefootlaw Research Team
Innovations in access to justice are critical for promoting and advancing a just, equitable and sustainable society. BarefootLaw in collaboration with SAIPAR (Zambia), with support from the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation conducted research to understand, document and share innovations in access to justice in Zambia. As part of this research, a crowdsourcing contest was run in the country for 4 weeks calling for players in the justice space to share their innovation in improving access to justice. Among standout innovations, was a dynamic podcast created by university students.
A group of students from the University of Zambia, the leading university in Zambia – started a podcast that aims to enhance and improve legal education in Zambia. The students behind The Law Talk recognized that legal knowledge is not only for lawyers – it is a lifeline for everyone. The students conduct research, develop research articles, review cases, disseminate, share and open debates on the podcast. These talks and lively debates tackle issues like land rights, family law, and workplace disputes, empowering listeners to navigate legal challenges confidently. The podcast brings the law to the people in the simplest form possible by breaking down complex legal concepts into relatable, actionable insights for the public.
The initiative is also keen on student excellence as it acts as a tool for connecting law students from different institutions across the country to actively participate in improving the legal system while they are still students. In-addition, the initiative aims to build a network of seasoned legal researchers that contributes to the jurisprudence of the Zambian legal profession.
WATCH here as the students explain more about their work:
The students boast of;
- Initiating The Law Talk, a Podcast whose aim is to serve as a platform for all including the public, student lawyers, and practitioners to share knowledge on legal issues. Since its launch seven (7) months ago, The Law Talk has engaged around 1000 listeners nationwide, proving that innovative platforms can make justice accessible beyond courtrooms.
- Feeding the public with informed and reliable legal information. The students prioritize research to provide accurate information, for the public to make informed decisions.
- Providing a platform for young lawyers and students across Zambia to meaningfully contribute to legal education.
Moving forward, the students are poised to expand their reach, with plans to invest in upgrading their podcast equipment, provide leadership and skills training for members, sponsor an annual national writing competition, and establish a self-sustaining social entrepreneurship venture using the award from BarefootLaw.
They add that a portion of the funds will also sponsor winners of their Annual Writing Competition, which invites students nationwide to submit researched legal articles. This expansion reflects the students’ holistic vision to bridge legal education gaps, empower peers, and foster a culture of innovation to democratize justice in Zambia.
