Legal charity

[Lije]

Though there are many forms of charity, but I somehow get the feeling that charity is best used when targeted at making sure that laws work proprely.

For example, we have cases of RTI activists getting killed because they crossed paths with the powerful. So, instead of the rich and powerful donating money to conventional charities how about they lend their muscle to strengthening the legal framework of a society? Or I am being too optimistic, given that the rich get rich exploting the legal loopholes in a society? (I'm looking at you, Bill G)

[arvindiyer]

This is a timely post and definitely a point to ponder for our 'civil society'.

For starters, it would help to know how exactly the RTI legislation was lobbied for and how this exercise was bankrolled. This may offer a model for future pushes for such empowering legislation.

Also, it might also help to have a mechanism via which donors can chip in to bear legal expenses of activists when they are slapped with vindictive defamation suits and the like, or simply to bear the expenses of public interest litigations which they initiate. Once in a while, there are conscientious lawyers offering services pro bono, but large-scale change cannot simply depend on such rare ones.

It will be good to have the lawyers in the group weigh in (via a Facebook repost maybe), along with those who have activism experience.