Since poverty is a disadvantage of legal literacy, it should be our responsibility to devote time to good works and create ways to legally help the poor as an act of charity. Aims and objectives of legal competence: Some related concepts, including legal awareness, legal mobilization and socialization, legal empowerment, help put legal competence into perspective. [22] Illiteracy renders a person unable to acknowledge the injustices done to him. If a person does not know basic human rights, social protection systems are not effective because they are unable to take advantage of the opportunities offered by the government to improve their standard of living. Therefore, legal literacy is the effective tool for projecting human rights. It can help people realize their civil, political, social and cultural rights. Only when people can be made aware of what the laws offer them will they be less vulnerable to the injustices they face. Knowledge of the law is a power and helps in self-realization. Therefore, people in India need to be made aware of the changing scenario.
These ideas can prove to be a solid, valuable and constructive foundation for their careers, as well as for the formulation of new laws or amendments to existing laws. Students will also have the opportunity and encouragement to use technology and innovation to provide legal assistance and raise public awareness through mobile apps, websites, and social media. It is therefore necessary to raise awareness of their rights and obligations, as well as legal remedies. There is still illiteracy in India and people are not aware of the various legal provisions that work in their favour. In such a changing society, it is necessary to educate people. It is necessary to broaden the scope of legal education among the masses. People need to be made aware of the procedures and policies available to improve them. Author Bilder (1999) defines jurisdiction as a “set of functional skills” related to the conduct of disputes. [13] The continuum approach states: “A certain level of legal competence is required to participate effectively in modern society, but it is not necessary for the average person to achieve the professional standard of `thinking (and writing) like a lawyer.`” [1] Depending on the objectives, there may be a number of objectives for legal literacy programs. [24] The Internet as a legal research tool is beneficial for most primary legal research materials, which can be found free of charge to supplement paid services and library collections. The Internet offers better access to resources, free or inexpensive access, and real-time information via social media. [50] In Reading the Legal World, author Laird Hunter expects legal education:[23] “People who use the legal system must be able to guide themselves through a process they understand.
and at appropriate times along the way. Public legal education, sometimes referred to as civic education, includes a range of activities aimed at strengthening public awareness and skills related to the law and the judicial system. This term also refers to the areas of practice and study that deal with these activities and to a social and professional movement that advocates for greater societal commitment to educating people about the law. Anna-Marie Marshall explains: “To realize their rights, people must take the initiative to express them. This initiative, in turn, depends on the availability and relevance of the legal regime for people facing problems. [4] Indeed, laws exist as part of a larger organizational ecosystem in which the interests of the organization as well as those of the actors are inextricably linked to how they are implemented. According to Hanna Hasl-Kelchner, legal literacy can help bridge the gap between law and economics by simplifying legal concepts in language that makes economic sense and offers a new way of seeing law as a useful business tool. [31] She states: “Business legal literacy involves a balanced understanding of interdisciplinary influences that carry legal risks, avoiding lawsuits and potential business law issues that threaten growth and profitability in order to build stronger business relationships, create sustainable value for stakeholders, improve competitive advantage and, most importantly, embed compliance into corporate culture to: achieve excellence.” [31] Legal aid is a constitutional instrument as a right.
The majority of people in our country are poor and, because of their poverty, they cannot afford costly lawsuits and are therefore deprived of justice. The law provides ways to combat this situation, but many people are still unaware of this. Section 39-A, introduced by the Constitution (Amendment) Act 1976, provides for legal aid and assistance to the poor. Legal awareness is an important part of working life. [36] According to John Akula, when legally sensitive issues arise, business leaders often find themselves in an uncharted field, often without the necessary legal training. [37] When business leaders work with lawyers, they need to develop a common language to address likely communication gaps and develop a strong sense of law. [38] Similarly, various measures have been taken by the Régie des services juridiques de l`État to raise awareness of the law in its states: the lack of legal culture and the resulting illiteracy are the main reasons for the large number of cases brought before the courts. If the accused citizen knows that an act is a crime punishable by law, he or she cannot do so. [32] The “continuum approach” views legal jurisdiction as “jurisdiction distributed along a continuum, with lawyers and judges at one end and relatively inept laymen at the other.” This approach was taken by the jurist White, who understood legal competence as “the level of competence in legal discourse required to lead a meaningful and active life in our increasingly legalistic and controversial culture.” [1] Lack of legal awareness is primarily responsible for the exploitation and deprivation of rights and benefits suffered most by the poor.
