The HiiL Justice Accelerator, together with the Ford Foundation, has opened applications for the second annual Innovating Justice Challenge, aimed at funding the brightest ideas and businesses focused on access to justice.
Applications are open until June 30, with the winners of each category walking away with EUR80,000 (US$91,000).
Non-profit legal research and advisory firm HiiL held the challenge for the first time last year, with Nigerian company DIYlaw walking away with US$40,000 in prize money.
The company recently launched its Innovating Justice Hub in Lagos, Nigeria, providing a working space for entrepreneurs and technology innovators to meet and find solutions to issues surrounding justice, and is also exploring establishing a similar hub in Nairobi, Kenya.
This year’s Innovating Justice Challenge focuses on two separate categories: the SME Empowerment Innovation Challenge for East and West Africa, and Family Justice.
The former targets innovators with innovative ideas or startups which address challenges facing SMEs in Africa, such as intellectual property protection, corruption, employment issues, management issues, employee rights, bureaucratic red-tapes etc.
The Family Justice Challenge is seeking innovations that provide access to justice to people dealing with transitions and problems within family, such as property inheritance, marriage, divorce, childcare and domestic violence.
