The Public Defender Society of Nepal is the country's first and only public defender organization, providing legal representation to the poor and vulnerable accused. Please join this courageous team in their fight for equal access to justice!

In 2018, PDS-Nepal represented nearly 1,500 accused and won a landmark Supreme Court victory protecting the right to a speedy trial. They pioneered the establishment of Nepal’s first arraignment court and ensured that no person will be put in pretrial detention solely because of the inability to afford a lawyer. PDS-Nepal is at the forefront of the fight to end discrimination against ethnic minorities, members of lower castes, and women and girls.

Yet this year funding has been scarce.

A government-led crackdown on civil society organizations led to the closing of a key donor fund that was supporting PDS-Nepal. We've also seen new laws that restrict access to counsel to only those charged with the most serious offenses, leaving the vast majority of accused without access to government-funded legal aid services.

The International Legal Foundation established ILF-Nepal in 2008, founding the program that eventually became PDS-Nepal in 2017. We're coordinating this fundraiser because we know it is possible to build locally-run, effective legal aid programs in post-conflict countries. Nepal is an example where we have achieved so much and continue to see tremendous potential for progress.

Help ensure this critical work continues!

*The ILF is a registered 501(c)3 non-profit organization, and so your generous donation is tax deductible.

The International Legal Foundation, Ltd

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