1. LEGAL AID IN VIETNAM Vu Thi Huong Deputy Director
National Legal Aid Agency Vietnam.
Bangkok, 18th August 2016

2. Main contents Legal framework Legal aid system Achievements Challenges
Developments ( )

3. LEGAL AID FRAMEWORK Decision 734/QD-TTg dated 6th Seb. 1997.
Law on Legal Aid 2006 and subordinate documents.
Other laws relating to legal aid: Law on persons with disabilities 2010; Law on human trafficking 2011, ect.
Decision 749/QD-TTg dated 1st June 2015

4. Legal Aid System in Vietnam
Established in 1997.
Governmental-oriented system.
The Government: performs uniform state management.
Ministry of Justice (MOJ): takes responsibility before the Government for the performance of state management of legal aid.
Provincial People's Committees (PPCs): perform the state management in localities.
- Social organizations: Women’s Union, Farmers’ union, Veterans’ union, Youth’s union….

5. NLAA Central level PLACs Provincial (63) Level Branches District
Legal aid System in Viet Nam
NLAA
Central
level
PLACs
(63)
Provincial
Level
Branches
of PLACs
(202)
District
Level
Legal aid
Clubs
Commune
Level

6. National Legal Aid Agency (NLAA)
A body of the Ministry of Justice
Function: advise the Minister in state management; implement professional management on legal aid 
Legal aid in Vietnam

7. Legal Aid Participating Organizations
Organizations participating in legal aid
Lawyers’ professional organizations
Legal consultative organizations
Legal aid in Vietnam

8. Legal Aid Providers Legal aid officials (state employees in PLACs).
Participating persons:
- Collaborators of PLACs.
- Lawyers.
- Legal consultants working in legal consultative organizations.
Legal aid in Vietnam

9. Legal Aid Beneficiaries
Poor
The Poor;
People with meritorious service to the Revolution;
Ethnic minorities people in especially difficult areas;
Lonely elderly people
Helpless children (under 16);
Disabled people
Victims of hunan trafficking;
Other people under international treaties to which Vietnam is a party
Ethnic minority
Children
Domestic violence

10. Forms of Legal Aid representatives in proceedings legal advice
representatives beyond proceedings
other forms
Legal aid in Vietnam

11. Fields of Legal Aid
Legal aid services can be provided in all legal matters (criminal, civil, labor, land, administrative, etc.) except for business and trade.

12. Achievements Legal aid policy: innovation
Legal aid legislation: improvement
Legal aid system: development and reform
Cases and beneficiaries: increase and focus on court procedings.
Funding: State budget includes local and central budget (about $4 million/year).

13. Legal aid cases and beneficiaries 2013-2015

14. Current challenges Shortcomings of the 2006 Law on Legal Aid;
Monitoring quality of legal aid services;
Capacity of legal aid providers;
Professional ethics of lawyers;
Fund for legal aid.

15. Developments Vietnam has made great efforts to:
revise the 2006 Law on Legal Aid;
reform the legal aid system;
implement national action programs on legal dissemination and education to raise awareness of people;
strengthen international co-operation.

16. Thank you!