Applications Are Open for the HiiL Innovating Justice Challenge 2018

Applications are open for the Innovating Justice Challenge 2018 to be hosted, by The Hague Institute for Innovation of law (HiiL).

The Challenge seeks products and ideas that improve accessibility to justice for people globally.

The HiiL Innovating Justice Challenge which is in its seventh year is open to justice innovators from all backgrounds.

Also, HiiL is looking for innovations that help people prevent or resolve their most pressing justice problems. The institute defines pressing justice problems on the basis of research and data that demonstrate the legal needs of people. This means HiiL searches for innovations that create rights awareness, provide access to legal services or dispute resolution and improve efficiency and transparency in existing justice policies.

In 2018, on the basis of HiiL’s data, the  focus shall be on resolving pressing justice problems in the following 5 areas:

• Family Justice
• Land- and Neighbour Disputes
• Crime and Law Enforcement
• Employment Justice
• Micro, Small and Medium sized Enterprises

Limited numbers of applications are accepted from those addressing other pressing justice problems.

Though this is a global call, the institute encourages applications from Uganda, Kenya, Nigeria, Mali, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Ukraine, Tunisia, Lebanon, Jordan, Morocco, the United Arab Emirates and the Netherlands.

Speaking more on the institute and its drive, HiiL founder and chief executive officer (CEO) Dr Sam Muller said, “We define pressing justice problems on the basis of research and data that demonstrate the legal needs of people.

“This means we search for innovations that create rights awareness, provide access to legal services or dispute resolution and improve efficiency and transparency in existing justice policies.”

According to Disrupt Africa, the challenge is in three parts. The best innovations received through the challenge will be invited to pitch to a panel of judges at HiiL’s annual Southern Africa Boostcamp, which will take place as part of the Leaderex convention in Sandton on September 4.

Following that, the most promising Boostcamp participants will be taken to The Hague in order to participate in the HiiL Justice Entrepreneur School, an intensive week-long programme of specialist business training and technical advice.

Selected innovations will then take part in the HiiL Justice Accelerator programme, which runs for between three months and one year depending on the innovator’s needs.

Applications are open here until May 30, with anyone keen to enter encouraged to attend HiiL’s local launch event at the Tshimologong Precinct in Johannesburg on March 13.