Information technology facilitates access to legal aid for vulnerable groups

For six months now, residents of Chernihiv region have been able to use the information and distance legal aid service. With its help, residents of remote settlements of the region receive free legal services using computers connected to the Internet in local libraries.

The participants of the round table, which took place on June 26, 2014 in the Chernihiv Regional Universal Scientific Library named after V.G. Korolenko, spoke about the experience, problems and prospects for the development of the Remote Advisory Point. It is on the basis of this library that the Remote Advisory Point for the provision of free legal aid has been operating since January 2014 with the assistance of the Chernihiv Regional State Administration. At the same time, local district libraries, which have the necessary equipment for video communication, are access points for ordinary citizens to the consultation point.

According to the project coordinator

Natalia Piddubna

, during this time, more than 60 citizens have received legal advice on various issues. As experience shows, people are most concerned about the problems of registering property rights to real estate and land plots. However, no less citizens seek advice on issues of accrual or recalculation of pensions, payment of housing and communal services, protection of labor rights, problems with the execution of court decisions.

Specialists from the justice bodies, the State Land Agency, the Pension Fund and Social Protection of the Population of Chernihiv Region are also involved in such interactive communication with citizens, because most of the citizens’ requests concern their competence.

“The practice of public receptions of justice bodies shows that people come with various problems, and these issues do not necessarily concern the preparation of procedural documents or the representation of their interests in courts,” notes the Deputy Head of the Main Department of Justice in Chernihiv Oblast

Volodymyr Bobruyko

. – In most cases, they need to receive qualified consultations or clarifications on legal issues. That is, to be told what and how to do in a specific situation within the framework of the norms of current legislation.”

In turn, the director of the Chernihiv Regional Universal Scientific Library named after V.G. Korolenko

Inna Aliferenko

emphasized the importance of the role of library institutions as accessible and effective means of legal education for ordinary citizens. The next step should be to involve rural libraries that already have access to the Internet, which will help strengthen the legal opportunities of villagers.

The participants in the discussion came to a common opinion on the need for further development of the aforementioned information and distance learning activities, as well as joining the efforts of public organizations and authorities to practically implement the Law of Ukraine “On Free Legal Aid” and assist vulnerable and poor segments of the population of the region in accessing justice and free legal services.

The event also included a presentation of the all-Ukrainian legal portal “Pravoonlayn” (). This is a unique information resource that allows the user to easily and affordably receive any legal assistance: from online consultation to representation in court. The main task of the portal is to become a platform for delivering free legal assistance to those who need it, from those who provide it.

The remote consultation point for providing free legal assistance is constantly operating on the basis of the Chernihiv Regional Universal Scientific Library named after V.G. Korolenko every 2nd and 4th Thursday of the month, from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

To receive free legal advice at the appointed time, residents of the Chernihiv region can contact local district libraries in

Bakhmach, Varva, Gorodna, Kozeltsa, Novgorod-Siverskyi, Nizhyn, Pryluky, Sosnytsia, Sribny, Shchors

and receive consultations in video mode.