Legal Assistance and Community Based Protection in East and West Wollega The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development recognizes “the need to build peaceful, just, and inclusive societies which provide equal access to justice and are based on respect for human rights.” Goal 16. According to Humanitarian Needs Overview, HLP violations hinder the exercise of rights of IDPs and remain a barrier to durable solutions. Disputes involving HLP rights (including ethnic disputes) are both a fundamental cause and consequence of conflicts. Competing HLP claims of the displaced, be they individuals or groups, generate tensions within and across communities, hindering reconciliation, sustainable peace, and stability. 

The project aims to  provide free legal assistance , such as counselling, legal representation, and technical assistance to respond to Housing, Land and Property (HLP) issues as well as civil documentation as well as to conduct protection incident monitoring also known as household-level protection monitoring. The  project will target the conflict affected population (internally displaced population including people with specific needs within the host communities). In addition,  the  cost of witness daily subsistence allowance in case of litigation will also be covered to support IDPs and IDP returnees access to Justice in ascertaining their Housing, Land and Property rights. The project also aims to cover the cost of civil documentation for the beneficiaries since access to justice especially in case of HLP is directly related to land holding documents, identity cards and marriage certificates. 
Protection Incident  monitoring aims to document human rights violations suffered by victims and survivors and might reveal specific protection problems that require immediate response and referral. Protection incident monitoring and referrals will be conducted by social/community workers which will allow groups at risks and survivors of GBV to access adequate assistance and response. Referrals to other service providers and follow up at community level will be carried in order to reach those who cannot easily reach the legal aid centers and the courts. The referral will allow other actors to provide complementary assistance where necessary. Cross sector case management solutions will be envisaged through coordination with protection actors in the Wollega/Kamashi for IDPs returnees from /to Kamashi and from/to East/West Wollegas (when the return is voluntary, even if the majority do not want to return). Capacity building of local administration and authorities on protection services and humanitarian principles will be carried out at Woreda and kebele levels in view of having common understanding of the humanitarian principles and HLP rights. 

Community awareness raising regarding  civil documentation and legal processes as well as HLP rights, COVID 19 mitigation measures to manage expectations and facilitate the involvement of the beneficiaries, identification, and referrals will be carried by the project staff (social workers amp legal experts) in each center level. Exceptionally, a small percentage (1%) of the targeted population ( SGBV survivors and children at risk) seeking legal remedies will be assisted with free legal services where necessary and based on survivor centered principles and as per the referral from other specialized services. Notwithstanding, protection GBV incidents and cases identified will be referred to partners providing special services. However, the free legal assistance in East and West Wollega will address HLP issues in collaboration with all stakeholders, notably, the HLP national and sub working group coordination, along with shelter actors/cluster in the Wollegas.