In order to inform  local communities in North Macedonia on the use and the access to Free Legal Aid (FLA) services, awareness raising events were organised in twelve municipalities in July and August. The action team and experts in the field  visited the municipalities of Vinica, Kocani, Stip, Shuto Orizari, Dojran, Bitola, Prilep, Kumanovo, Tetovo, Delcevo, Ohrid and Struga. They reached many citizens and informed them about the Law on Free Legal Aid and how to use it.

During the meetings, the citizens had the opportunity to ask questions and hear from Council of Europe consultants with extensive experience in providing Free Legal Aid. The events were part of the awareness-raising initiative for FLA organised in the framework of the European Union and Council of Europe joint action “Supporting enhanced access to higher quality Free Legal Aid services in North Macedonia” in close co-operation with the Ministry of Justice of North Macedonia and the members of the National Co-ordination Body for Free Legal Aid: Ministry of Justice Regional Offices, civil society organisations and Legal Clinics authorised for providing Free Legal Aid.

The informational activities organised in 12 Municipalities in North Macedonia will enhance the FLA knowledge among local communities but also legal professionals, and thus support broader accessibility and use of these legal services with a special focus on vulnerable groups such as on women and children.

The FLA awareness-raising initiative, implemented as of 2021 in North Macedonia, aims at promoting these services as an important, available, and functional mechanism, dedicated to providing free legal protection to the citizens and most importantly contributing to the process of ensuring equal access to legal aid for those who cannot afford it.        

This activity is organised under the joint European Union and the Council of Europe programme “Horizontal Facility for Western Balkans and Turkey 2019 - 2022”, a co-operation initiative to assist Beneficiaries in the Western Balkans and Turkey to comply with the European standards.