The contribution of IOCC’s Regional Legal Aid Network for Displaced Persons was 5.683 accusations and 886 were realised by our office.
At the beginning of the project the „Sveti Spas” association disseminated the information that our office, as a part of IOCC’s Regional Legal Aid Network for Displaced Persons, may provide individual legal assistance free of charge for IDPs and others in the need.. Depending on needs, once or twice a month, we publish and distribute our internal informative bulletin in 400-600 copies.
Through all above mentioned activities IDPs and refugees were introduced in very short period about the services regarding legal aid given by the offices in Regional Legal Aid Network. The progress was evident through monthly reports subitted by our and other offices as well. Up to Kosovo and Metohija pogrom, March 17. and 18, the number of beneficiaries and their confidence increased daily. Immediately after March Pogrom, in a certain period the number of beneficiaries was decreased. After that, the rapid increase happened, as it could be seen from the table bellow.
| Category of beneficiaries |
MONTH - year 2004. |
Total |
| |
Nov |
Dec |
Jan |
Feb |
Mart |
Apr |
May |
June |
July |
|
IDPs |
9 |
7 |
22 |
40 |
35 |
286 |
893 |
1080 |
67 |
2.439 |
Refugees |
1 |
14 |
8 |
13 |
15 |
16 |
12 |
16 |
2 |
97 |
Local population |
- |
- |
1 |
1 |
- |
2 |
3 |
8 |
- |
15 |
Ukupno |
10 |
21 |
31 |
54 |
50 |
304 |
908 |
1104 |
69 |
2.551 |
Number of treated accusations - chart 2. |
| |
- |
- |
2 |
7 |
15 |
112 |
197 |
534 |
15 |
882 |
Total |
- |
- |
2 |
7 |
15 |
112 |
197 |
534 |
15 |
882 |
From this table the dynamics of beneficiaries’ requests was evident – one could recognize the introductory period when beneficiaries were informed about the project aims, gradual increase of interest, the decline of interest due to March Pogrom, and the sudden and sharp increase of the beneficiaries as the dead line of the absolute obsoleteness approached.
This statistics does not cover advices given by phone, approximately 15% of total number. Phone calls were not included as it was impossible to interview every beneficiary for his/her data.
Chart 1.
Number of beneficiaries Chart 2. shows number of accusations, by months. Besides accusations, there are also other services provided to beneficiaries (not shown in charts); making other legal documentations considering repossession and restitution of property, labour legislation, obtaining documents, urgencies, complaints, requests and other written applications to the relevant organs and institutions regarding legal protection.
Chart 2.
Number of treated and submitted accusations
The support to lawyers in Regional Legal Aid Network as well as the coordination of office activities was given by IOCC and its seminaires. These seminaires gave the opportunity for the exchange of experiences with well informed lawyers – IDPs from KiM, there they met their Albanian collegues from KiM. They together were able to discuss the problems of privatization in KiM, legal regulation collisions and other topics.
Besides the improvement of expert level of the lawyers enabled through current project, the „Sveti Spas” association sternghtened through the new opened offices in the center of Belgrade, as well as in Kosovo and Metohija (Prizren-Sredska-Brezovica)
The follow up of our activities was realised through medias specialized for IDPs and refugees, like Pravi Odgovor, Radio Glas Crkve, Bulletin UNIJA etc, and state level medias - RTS – Povratak, Radio Belgrade 2. channel, Radio B92 etc as well.
Complete legal documentation was properly regisered and stored, and database of beneficiaries was established. All legal issues were additionally stored on CD.
Our lawyers, including colleagues from Regional Legal Aid Network, follow up the requests of IDPs and assist them in providing best solutions for their legal problems.
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