Avocats Sans Frontières France Created in 1998 Headquarters Toulouse, France

Regardless where they come from, people deserve to have their human rights respected and to know what to do when it isn't. Unfortunately, this is not the case for everyone, particularly for those who reside in countries where access to legal aid is limited, difficult and costly.

ConnectAID’s partner Avocats Sans Frontières (ASF France) is a nonprofit organisation whose mission is to:

- Promote access to the law and to fair justice for vulnerable people who do not have the possibility, arbitrarily detained or tortured

- Defend any person deprived of a free and independent defence as well as human rights defenders threatened or abused in the exercise of their function

- Strengthen the capacity to act and the autonomy of local actors to defend and promote human rights (civil society and stakeholders in the judicial system).

Its actions of the association focus on the following:

1 - ACT in the name of Justice and Freedom

We provide on a voluntary basis the defence of any person whose fundamental rights are threatened and who does not have a free and independent lawyer for his defence. Our mission is also to provide assistance to lawyers and human rights defenders threatened because of their commitment.

2 - CONTRIBUTE to strengthening the rule of law

We intervene everywhere in the world, whenever it is necessary to support the rule of law, the judicial institution or the right to a fair trial. We always have vocations to strengthen the capacities of local justice and legal actors, by responding to their needs and acting alongside them.

3 - PROMOTE access to law and justice

Promoting access to law is one of our priorities, which is why we are helping to set up legal and judicial aid systems. In this perspective, we will contribute to providing the most vulnerable people with the protection of the law where it does not exist: provision of legal services (itinerant or sedentary consultations), strengthening of legal systems, awareness of the population and stakeholders of the judiciary.

4 - DEFEND citizens and human rights defenders

ASF France urgently ensures the defence of any person whose fundamental rights are threatened and who does not have access to an independent lawyer. We also intervene when a lawyer is attacked because of his profession: threats, imprisonment, etc. Indeed, beyond the lawyer, it is the citizen who is deprived of defence and therefore of justice.

5 - DEVELOP citizens and human rights defenders

We always aim to strengthen the capacities of local justice and legal actors, by providing them with initial and continuing training adapted to their specific needs and difficulties.

Thanks to the help of its volunteers, ASF has completed and is currently supporting projects in several countries including Haiti, Cambodia, Laos, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Mali, Nigeria, Tchad, Tunisia and Greece.

Your contributions will directly help those unable to otherwise have access to lawyers, ensuring the protection of their legal rights, so that no one is left behind.