Access to justice remains one of the most important cornerstones of peace and equality. Yet, for many inmates in prison, especially those who require legal assistance, justice often feels distant. To help bridge this gap, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) last year, with funding from the government of the United States of America,  trained 70 staff of the Ghana Prisons Service from different prison installations across the country as paralegals to assist in providing legal aid services to the inmates. To ensure that these trained paralegals have the basic tools they require to function effectively in their role, UNDP from its own resources presented desktop computers to the Ghana Prisons Service to enhance the delivery of legal aid through the prison paralegal programme.

The initiative, which supports Ghana’s broader justice and governance reforms, seeks to ensure that no one is left behind in accessing fair and timely justice, a key pillar of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 16).

Speaking at the handover ceremony, Dr. Edward Ampratwum, Head of Inclusive Growth and Accountable Governance, UNDP Ghana, reaffirmed UNDP’s commitment to advancing equitable justice for all, regardless of social or economic status.

“For UNDP, every person, irrespective of their social status, must have access to justice to ensure that their rights are protected. This is also a recipe for peace, to the extent that injustice is redressed”, he noted.

He highlighted that legal assistance remains the “lynchpin of access to justice,” citing that lawyers and paralegals often serve as the only barrier between vulnerable individuals and human rights abuses such as forced confessions, unlawful detention, and wrongful convictions.

Recognizing the importance of paralegals in closing the justice gap, Dr. Ampratwum commended the Ghana Prisons Service for its leadership and commitment to provide legal assistance to inmates.

“We are aware that enhancing the capacity of prison paralegals alone is not enough. They require the necessary tools to be effective in delivering the services needed by inmates. It is for this reason that we are here today to donate desktop computers to support their work,” Dr. Ampratwum added.

Receiving the items on behalf of the Ghana Prisons Service, Mr. Hagbe, Director in charge of Operations, expressed appreciation to UNDP for the continued partnership and support.

“These computers will greatly enhance the efficiency of our paralegals and improve coordination between prisons and legal service providers,” he said. “This is a major step toward ensuring that inmates are not forgotten in their quest for justice.”

Through continued collaboration with the Ghana Prisons Service and other justice sector institutions, UNDP reaffirms its commitment to helping Ghana build a more inclusive and equitable justice system, one that leaves no one behind, including those behind bars.

The collaboration forms part of UNDP’s long-standing support to Ghana’s criminal justice institutions to promote the rule of law, protect human rights, and build a more peaceful and inclusive society.