The main objective of the project is to develop a comprehensive permanent system of legal aid in the Transcarpathian region aimed to provide highly qualified protection of constitutional rights and interests of the local communities residents in Transcarpathian region, especially to the poor and socially disadvantaged groups, including representatives of national minorities, the financial condition of whose does not allow to pay for legal aid.

A characteristic feature of almost all communities, who live in poverty, is a lack of equal access to public institutions and services that protect and promote human rights. Often, they also do not have any opportunity to loudly express their needs, to seek protection against injustice, to participate in society and to influence the decision making, what will ultimately determine their life.

According to statistics, 1255425 people live in the Transcarpathian region. The vast majority of residents of the area – 63% – live in rural areas. One-fifth of the population lives in 192 settlements of the region that have status of mountain terrains. Transcarpathia is the largest region in Ukraine by the number of Roma population. In the region, there are 128 Roma settlements, a total population of them is about 100 000 people.
As a part of the project, through the wide advocacy campaign about the demand to expand opportunities for granting a free primary legal aid, in Transcarpathian region we will create urban programs about providing legal aid and urban programs for sustainable development of Roma communities, in the framework of which the best model of providing free legal aid in cities will be chosen.

The press center of the Charitable fund “Progress”

P.S. The project is implemented by the Charitable fund “Progress” in cooperation with the Transcarpathian regional center to provide free secondary legal aid in support of the Government of Canada, the Program Initiative “Human rights and justice” and the Roma program initiative of International “Renaissance” Foundation.