Having regard that relevant systems on free legal aid are not in place everywhere in the region, as well as that those systems that are implemented are often not effective and efficient, we hereby agree on this Becici Declaration, as follows
DECLARATION
We, the Ohrid Free Legal Aid Initiative signees participating at the Regional Conference “Free Legal Aid – Experiences From the SEE Region” supported by UNDP Montenegro, are aware that regional cooperation is one of the key preconditions for solving existing open issues in the area of human rights, for fulfilling the obligations of the European integration processes, and for establishing strong mechanisms of human rights protection.
We are underlining our dedication to “Ohrid Free Legal Aid Initiative”, where we have established a Regional Forum of NGOs for Free Legal Aid.
We adopt following conclusions, which we shall follow as directions in our future work on reglonal level, with an aim of establishing sustainable and efiicient systems of free legal aid in order to provide access to justice to the most vulnerable social groups:
1. We shall cooperate, share experiences, undertake joint projects and coordinate implementation of our activities;
2. We believe that free legal aid is an important aspect of human rights protection and that every individual has the right to access to justice;
3. We invite governments in the region to provide effective and efficient free legal aid systems in order to serve the best needs of individuals;
4. We propose governments in the region to embrace the experiences and competences of civil society organizations and to recognize them as valuable partners for provision of free legal aid;
5. We urge our governments to promote and support cross-border cooperation in the field of free legal aid.
Done in Becici, Montenegro, on 3rd October 2010, in eight identical copies.
