S1E4 - Know Law, Use Law, Shape Law: Vivek Maru on Legal Empowerment
Conversations with Young Justice LeadersShow Notes
Episode Notes
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In this fourth episode of Conversations with Young Justice Leaders, Abbas Luyombo interviews Vivek Maru, CEO and co-founder of Namati, an organization advancing social and environmental justice by combining the power of law with the power of people.
Vivek shares the origin of his work, from nearly dropping out of law school to moving to post-war Sierra Leone, where he discovered that community paralegals could help ordinary people win real justice from broken systems. He explains Namati's model of "legal empowerment" and the cycle of “know law, use law, and shape law,” illustrated through the story of Mrs. Jallow, a woman who couldn't read or write but led her community to reverse a 75,000-acre illegal land grab by a European oil palm company. Vivek also discusses the chronic underfunding of the demand side of justice, how solidarity and networks keep frontline advocates safe in shrinking civic spaces, and why he believes young people have the power to fix what is broken. The conversation closes with reflections on AI-powered legal tools, the Grassroots Justice Network, and a vision of a justice system truly of, by, and for the people.
Find the transcript below.
Links to initiatives mentioned in the episode:
Namati
Grassroots Justice Network
Global Witness — Environmental Defenders
Freedom House Democracy Index
Vivek Maru's TED Talk — Putting the Power of Law in People's Hands
Learn more about the Young Justice Leaders here.
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The Conversations with Young Justice Leaders podcast is hosted by the Young Justice Leaders, a group of young changemakers from across the globe who represent young and innovative voices and are influencing international dialogues and research around justice.
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Credits: This episode was produced by Leah Guyot, and editorial support was provided by Thibault Chareton, Symphony Chau, and Catherine Wang. Read transcript
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Episode Notes
<h4>In this first episode of Conversations with Young Justice Leaders, Eva Langbehn interviews María Fernanda Rodríguez, Senior Fellow at New York University’s Center on International Cooperation and Coordinator of the Technical Secretariat of the Iberoamerican Alliance on Access to Justice.</h4> In this interview, Maria Fernanda discusses what drew her to the justice field, and describes herself as having an "intolerance for injustice" since childhood, along with a familial background that instilled in her a strong sense of social responsibility. She saw firsthand how the justice system often fails vulnerable populations, particularly women and highlights her work on expanding access to justice in remote regions. She also discusses the Latin American context, its challenges and opportunities, and the important role of civil society and youth in driving change.
Episode 1 of Conversations with Young Justice Leaders is coming in May 2025.