The Human Rights Advocacy Centre (HRAC) identified the need to have a network of lawyers to provide free legal assistance to the vulnerable in Ghanaian communities whose rights to access justice are limited because they cannot afford legal fees.

So, in December 2010, the PBLN was launched!

Its primary objective was to provide free legal representation to the survivors of human rights abuses in Ghana. The PBLN affords the poor and vulnerable victims of human rights violations and other abuses the opportunity to seek redress without ANY barriers.

The cases that the PBLN works on are extremely varied. They can range from defending the rights of women and children in divorce, to the negotiation of the release of remand prisoners who have been imprisoned illegally.

Since the PBLN commenced work in December 2010, 104 cases have been referred to the PBLN by HRAC. These cases include civil (divorce, custody, child maintenance, labour, estate) and criminal cases (rape, defilement, narcotics) as well as cases of prisoners being illegally held on remand.