Doha, November 27 (QNA) - Qatar Universitys (QU) College of Law received an Academic Research Grant from Qatar National Research Fund (QNRF), on a proposal for a national strategy to provide legal aid to the vulnerable populations in Qatari society.

The research proposal is designed to provide for a new approach to legal aid, through a comprehensive law, which does not currently exist. The State of Qatar also does not have a national independent authority for the provision of legal aid. The proposal makes a recommendation to establish, for the first time, an authority that is entrusted with providing legal aid to the vulnerable.

The two main objectives of the proposal are motivated by comparative models and best practices that rely on international standards. Particularly the United Nations Principles and Guidelines on Access to Legal Aid in Criminal Justice Systems, and the United Nations Model Law on Access to Legal Aid, which the Lead Principal Investigator Professor Mohamed Yehia Mattar was privileged to draft and write the various provisions of the law with commentaries explaining the different models of legal aid around the globe.

Dean of QUs College of Law Dr. Talal Al Emadi stated, "This proposal is focused on legal aid as a means of reducing the vulnerability of members of the Qatari society," adding, "The proposal also follows comparative models of other countries that established independent agencies to provide legal aid to the vulnerable populations. As such the proposal is in line with the research priorities of our College of Law and Qatar University." In turn, Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies at QUs College of Law Dr. Faisal Al Hababi characterized this research grant as addressing issues that respond to the needs of the Qatari society and that complement the tireless efforts made by the various institutions in Qatar to ensure the welfare of its people.

The proposal presents several elements that the State of Qatar may like to consider in adopting a national strategy on legal aid. This includes engaging the new generation of students in providing legal aid through law clinics. The proposal aims to identify the different issues that are relevant for the implementation of a comprehensive law on legal aid, focusing on social legislation, which the proposal defines as the laws that are designed to achieve social justice for members of the society, especially the vulnerable.

The research will target a number of vulnerable populations in Qatar society including migrant workers, victims of human trafficking, persons with disabilities, women, children and the elderly. The proposal is designed to enhance the legal aid in these six categories, which need the State intervention to support their effective and important role in the Qatari society. This is in line with the constitutional mandate, which establishes "The Guiding Principles of the Society" including (article 18), (article 19), (article 20), (article 21).

The research team is made up of the lead Principal Investigator Professor Mohamed Yehia Mattar, and Professor Abdullah Abdul Karem Abdullah, Dhoha AlMalki, Saber Gdiri, Abdelsalam Lachaal, supported by Attorney at Law and International Arbitrator Dr. Thani Al-Thani.

(QNA)