Similar events will be held in East and West Africa.

The events are aimed at scouting for the next generation of promising entrepreneurs and innovators who are working to prevent or resolve peoples’ most pressing justice needs.

“At a time when local news has made for bleak reading thanks to headlines about xenophobic and gender-based violence, it's been truly rewarding to see so many people committed to preventing and solving injustice,” said Adam Oxford, HiiL Regional Agent for Southern Africa.

“It is particularly inspiring to see many of the best innovations targeting the issues which have been leading the news.”

The very best will be selected for a place in Hiil’s Justice Accelerator programme where they can receive up to 20,000 Euros in grant funding, potential third party investment, tailored training and business development support, access to HiiL’s international network of experts and global exposure.

The southern Africa finalists include:

for the children’s sake

Professional mediators and members of the Wynberg magistrate’s court offer families pro bono mediation services at no charge to resolve disputes in the best interests of the children. for the children’s sake is looking to introduce its proven methodology to other courts throughout the country.

LawBasket

A first for Zimbabwe, LawBasket provides add-on legal protection for insurance customers, delivering legal services through an online platform of freelance lawyers worldwide.

THE LEGAL TEAM

A comprehensive legal portal for small to medium businesses, THE LEGAL TEAM offers a start-up toolkit to guide emerging entrepreneurs through their regulatory and compliance needs.

LegalFundi

Drawing on decades of experience in the paralegal sector, LegalFundi guides individuals and businesses who cannot afford professional advice through legal process flows. It also provides access to essential documents with both a free and paid-for service.

Masenze Strategic Advisors

An easy-to-use chatbot that is designed to simplify and translate legal information into local languages and make it useful for individuals. Masenze deals with issues such as employment or family law, or interacting with the government.

My Will Online

The majority of South Africans die intestate, leaving families locked up in red tape when dealing with their estate. Using My Will Online, people can create and maintain their last will and testament via a web portal or mobile app.

rAInbow

Tackling one of South Africa’s most pressing justice issues, rAInbow is a digital companion which has helped tens of thousands of women who are in abusive and controlling relationships with non-judgemental support.

Schoeman Law Inc

Established law firm with a track record in assisting small businesses, Schoeman Law has created a low-cost, self-serve platform for automated contracting. Using its technology, agreements can be built in a few minutes and at 10% of usual rates.

The Warrior Project

Aimed at reducing the incidence of domestic and gender-based violence in South Africa, The Warrior Project promotes rights awareness for women through strategic partnerships and community building, together with a comprehensive directory of resources designed to turn victims into warriors.

HiiL, is a social enterprise based in The Hague, The Netherlands. They are dedicated to justice that is easy to access, easy to understand and affordable for everyone.

It is supported by the Nationale Postcode Loterij of the Netherlands to run the Justice Accelerator programme in Southern Africa.