The Legal Assistance Trust

Working Together: LAT and LRC

The LAT and LRC formed an exclusive partnership in 1985 to work together towards the achievement of shared goals. Since then, the LAT has been raising funds for the LRC to give poor and marginalized people in South Africa access to free legal services to secure and defend their rights and to overcome their vulnerabilities.

Together, we have raised contributions and grants in the United Kingdom and South Africa from major donors, foundations and trusts for the purpose of addressing the central problems facing South Africa – poverty, discrimination, HIV/AIDS, homelessness and land restitution.

The LRC works exclusively with those in great need and promotes their basic rights, both human rights and constitutional rights. It increases poor people’s access to shelter, water, medical services, and women’s and children’s rights to be free from violence. As part of the process, local people are always involved – as clients instructing their lawyers – and the LRC works co-operatively with a large range of other organizations. The method of working is always to support local organizations and community structures and, where relevant, make links with social movements so that people’s voices are heard and their needs and priorities are addressed.

The LRC’s strategic route to accomplishing these ends includes testing cases in law – right up to the Constitutional Court, the highest court in South Africa, to establish precedents and to ensure that in the future other communities rights will be safeguarded.

By working in this way to ensure basic needs are met and decreasing the fear of losing it, the LRC’s work establishes the base of MASLOW HIERARCHY OF NEED without which other development interventions cannot take place. It is part of a necessary pre-condition for development and for other changes in improving people’s lives and livelihoods.

But the need remains!