Psychosocial Support and Legal aid counseling
AIM-Nepal has been providing its legal, counseling and advisory services to those individual or groups who need this kind of support to access justice and secure their rights or protect and promote their rights as women rights. Survivors of violence are assisted in registering FIR and pleading their cases in court. AIM-Nepal conducts its support until the district court reaches a decision and, if the decision is unsatisfactory, an appeal is filed with the concerned appellate court and Supreme Court through the government attorney’s general office. Not all cases go to court, however, as AIM-Nepal’s lawyers and counselor apply informal and alternative methods of dispute resolution like counseling, mediation and negotiation prior to litigation with the coordination of community and stakeholders.
We are doing with survivors our first visit, victim complaint, personal data and the type of information sought are recorded. In some critical cases where she or he needs supplementary support, including shelter (in safe-house), psychosocial counseling is also assessed with the support of local government and agencies. After registering the application, the opposite party is notified by phone and invited to AIM-Nepal office to share/discuss the problem. Further in settling disputes alternative means are initiated. Negotiations are carried on over several follow-up sessions and only when all attempts at mediation fail, a case is filed. In such condition, AIM-Nepal refers the cases to related sectors and also assessed.
