All Updates
S&B – Alexander McLean is not a normal son
In the early years of Alexander McLean’s life, while he was volunteering at a hospice in Uganda, building a prison library in Kenya and founding a charity that has now helped thousands of people across four African countries, his father asked him a question: “Why can’t you just be a normal son?” McLean is still not normal.
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PR Newswire – 2020 Wise Awards Winners Announced
WISE, an initiative of Qatar Foundation (QF), has announced the winners of the 2020 WISE Awards, recognizing and promoting six innovative projects from across the world that address global educational challenges.
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News Break – Alexander McLean named 2020 Grinnell Prize recipient
President Anne Harris announced on Wednesday that Alexander McLean, the founder and director general of international nonprofit organization Justice Defenders, has won the 2020 Grinnell College Innovator for Social Justice Prize.
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The Sunday Times – The story of the Londoner bringing justice to East Africa
Justice Defenders enlists lawyers, prison officers, judges and British universities to provide legal training to inmates — some barely educated — so they can become their own advocates.
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Tuko – Kamiti Prison: 10 inmates graduate with law degrees
At least 17 inmates, police officers and former convicts graduated from the Kamiti Maximum Prison in Nairobi with law degrees from the University of London on Thursday, October 31.
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The Spectator – Why former prisoners make the best lawyers
Having set up a UK charity, McLean persuaded authorities in Uganda and later Kenya’s Kamiti Maximum Security prison to let him support bright prisoners, and also their warders, to study for London university’s distance-learning law degree.
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Forbes – Our world becomes rich when we don't write people off
In this Q&A, McLean talks about the project’s work, the loneliness of leadership and what we can learn from those living in poverty.
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The power of performance arts in legal education in Africa
Legal education is often reserved for the elite, but our work in Uganda incorporates varied methods of education to steer legal education into a new, inclusive era.
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A day in the life of a paralegal: Moses Dola in Kenya
Life as a paralegal beyond the prison gates is an honour. Moses Dola serves his community and gains a better understanding of the law with every case he works on. Here is a look into a day in his life.
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An inside look into how we launched our work in The Gambia
Our Director of Growth Matteo Cassini how we launched our work in a new country, with new partners, during a pandemic.
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The transformational power of legal education in prison.
Our law degree programme is trailblazing. Education Leads Milly and Brenda explain how we’re unlocking talent and educating a new, unlikely generation of justice defenders.
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A break in the clouds: silver linings from 2021
Justice Defenders Founder and CEO Alexander McLean reflects on the successes from our year. He shines a light on how the team inside and outside of prison have overcome adversity through bravery, humility and solidarity.
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Carol Service 2021
A virtual Christmas celebration with our communities in Uganda, Kenya, The Gambia, UK and USA. Watch the service below. Then learn how you can help us expand to respond to the global awakening for justice.
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Celebrating Black academic excellence
This month, as we celebrate with our 28 University of London students who have recently received their exam results, it gives us pause to reflect.
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Our manifesto: responding to the grassroots need for justice in the US and beyond
As we respond to the mandate of the people, we remain grounded by our values of solidarity, humility, and bravery. To navigate the immense opportunities to scale our work, we are listening deeply to the grassroots need.
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Catching up with paralegals in The Gambia one year on.
Hear from three of our paralegals in The Gambia, as we celebrate a year of our work in the country.
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Poem: A call to bridge the path towards justice.
A message of hope in Uganda from Alex Byamukama.
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A day in the life of a Justice Defenders Legal Officer: Kenneth Kugonza in Uganda
Kenneth Kugoza works in mid-central Uganda, helping those facing injustice. He shares how he spends his day across multiple prisons.
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Allyship beyond perceived differences.
Three prison officers overcome perceived differences in service of those in prison. This unique show of solidarity is truly what makes the fabric of our community a unique tapestry of allies.
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Reforming the Sexual Offences Act: securing proportionate sentencing.
Success as Justice Defenders paralegals ensure judges are able to use their discretion to sentence people convicted of sexual offences.
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The unlikely activists. Reforming the criminal justice system from behind prison bars.
Success as Justice Defenders paralegals secure rights for suspects with mental disabilities.
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Fighting for the rights of mothers with postpartum depression.
Rose, like many mothers across the world, experienced depression. With a lack of medical care, she was treated unfairly by the law. Thanks to our work, she is reunited with her daughter.
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From death row to presidential palaces. One woman’s incredible fight for justice.
Having graduated with a law degree while incarcerated, Susan now travels the world campaigning against the death sentence.
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Punitive sentencing for petty offences; vestiges of colonial times.
In East Africa young people are persistently caught up in drug trafficking, loitering and pickpocketing charges, resulting in long periods in prison. Here Draconian laws still apply, yet to be reviewed for the 21st Century. So laws often criminalise and marginalise the people with least in society.
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