What does Justice Defenders do?

Justice Defenders is an international nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering prisoners and prison staff in Africa through legal education, training, and practice. Founded in 2007 by Alexander McLean, the organization aims to bridge the global justice gap and ensure fair hearings for individuals in conflict with the law. With permanent bases in Kampala, Uganda, and Nairobi, Kenya, Justice Defenders operates in 22 prisons and is expanding its efforts to the United States and the United Kingdom. The organization focuses on three core pillars: education, training, and practice. It partners with institutions like the University of London to provide accredited law degrees for prisoners and prison officers, achieving a high pass rate. Justice Defenders also trains individuals as auxiliary paralegals and establishes in-prison law practices to offer free legal services. By 2030, the organization aims to ensure that one million defenseless people receive fair hearings, measuring success through case outcomes and systemic improvements in the prison system. Justice Defenders has supported over 170,000 legal cases, resulting in more than 69,000 releases and fostering legal influence among marginalized voices.