Environmental Justice Program

The Centre for Policy Research-Namati Environmental Justice Program has created a network of grassroots legal professionals who research questions regarding environment law implementation and citizens' empowement by participating in the process of resolving environmental non compliance and related impacts that affect communities. The program's paralegals are trained in basic law and in skills like mediation, education, and legal doctrine. Through this process, the Program builds an epistemic community geared towards finding solutions to environmental challenges.

The methodological assumption is that only through participation in the crafting of remedies do we truly understand the impact of legislation and institutional action.  The purpose of this participation in the life of law is to strengthen both citizens and institutions. By performing the necessary task of interface and interaction between citizen and state these paralegals help institutions understand better where citizens are coming from; and they help citizens understand better the issues involved in regulation.