Ensuring legal aid for ethnic minorities

According to the Law on Legal Aid (LAY) 2017, ethnic minorities residing in areas with particularly difficult socio-economic conditions are one of the subjects eligible for LAY.

According to the Law on Legal Aid (LLA) 2017, ethnic minorities residing in areas with particularly difficult socio -economic conditions are one of the subjects eligible for LLA.

Due to incorrect personal information on his identity documents, which led to incorrect information about the father in his child's birth certificate, Mr. Hoang Van Vien, Giay ethnic group, Lang Moi village, Ban Xeo commune, came to TGPL Branch No. 4 for assistance. Here, Mr. Vien was guided by the assistant to go to the People's Committee of the commune where he currently lives to correct the information, because this task is under the authority of the People's Committee at the commune level. When going to make corrections, Mr. Vien needs to bring his identity documents (Citizen ID card, marriage certificate, child's birth certificate) to be guided and make corrections.

TGPL Branch No. 4 was merged from the former TGPL Branch No. 6 and No. 8. Implementing the new model, currently, TGPL Branch No. 4 is in charge of TGPL work in 13 communes and wards of Bat Xat district and Sa Pa town.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Huong Thuy - Head of TGPL Branch No. 4 said: The area under the Branch's responsibility has many villages and hamlets with difficult socio-economic conditions, and the awareness of a part of the people is still limited. This is a barrier for people in the process of accessing information and knowledge about the law.

In the past 2 months, TGPL Branch No. 4 has assisted 88 cases, of which 72 are ethnic minorities. Regarding communication work, recently, right after the two-level local government model came into operation, TGPL Branch No. 4 organized a thematic talk on legal aid for ethnic minorities in Muong Bo commune with nearly 80 participants. Here, the branch staff disseminated the law, provided direct communication information on legal regulations on TGPL including the 2017 Law on TGPL and guiding documents; integrated dissemination and information on relevant legal regulations in the fields of criminal law, civil law, civil procedure, marriage and family, and land.

To make it easier for people to understand, at the talk, the propagandists presented a number of real-life situations and answered them. Along with that, the legal aid workers also received and provided advice, answered legal questions of the people; received requests to participate in litigation, and represented outside of litigation when people needed...

At the TGPL Branch No. 5 in charge of the communes and wards of Bao Thang district and Lao Cai city (old), in the past 2 months, the branch has assisted 17 cases of ethnic minorities, mainly in the fields of marriage, family and criminal law. After receiving the request, the assistants guided the people and ensured the right to legal aid for beneficiaries according to the law.

According to the 2017 Law on Legal Aid, ethnic minorities residing in areas with particularly difficult socio-economic conditions are one of the subjects entitled to legal aid. In Lao Cai, in recent times, the Provincial State Legal Aid Center and its five affiliated branches have always ensured the right to legal aid for subjects, including ethnic minorities.

In July 2025 alone, the center and its branches provided legal aid for 92 cases/issues to 92 people, of which 79 were ethnic minorities residing in areas with particularly difficult socio-economic conditions. In August 2025, legal aid was provided to 152 ethnic minority cases.

The promotion of communication and legal aid work has been seriously implemented, ensuring that it has contributed to bringing the humane policies of the Party and State closer to the people, ensuring timely access and enjoyment of quality legal aid activities, towards the goal of ensuring fairness in access to justice for ethnic minorities and mountainous areas in Lao Cai.

Source: https://baolaocai.vn/dam-bao-quyen-tro-giup-phap-ly-cho-dong-bao-dan-toc-thieu-so-post882923.html