A participant asks a question at the workshop. — Photo baolaocai.vn

LÀO CAI — In the misty mountains of northern Việt Nam, local justice officials are learning new ways to bring the law closer to the people.

Earlier this month, the Lào Cai Department of Justice gathered dozens of community representatives, police officers and local officials for a training workshop on how to identify residents in need of free legal aid and connect them with official support channels.

The session, held under a World Bank–funded project to strengthen legal aid for the poor and vulnerable, focused on practical skills – how to explain legal rights in plain language, guide citizens through the justice system and refer complex cases to certified lawyers.

Legal aid is part of Việt Nam’s broader social welfare policy, offering free legal representation to people on low incomes, war veterans and others at risk of being left behind. But reaching them, especially in mountainous areas, remains a challenge.

Officials say collaboration between police, commune authorities and social organisations is crucial to ensure that help reaches those who need it.

"We want every citizen to know that legal aid exists, and that they have the right to use it," one participant said.

The Lào Cai event was the second of its kind this year, following a similar workshop that trained 42 delegates from across the province.

Across the mountains in Sơn La Province, legal aid officers are taking that mission directly into villages.

Tòng Văn Minh, Deputy Director of the provincial Legal Aid Centre, said his team has spent the year travelling to remote communes to explain basic legal rights, from family and land disputes to criminal defence.

"We’ve been meeting villagers, elders and community leaders face-to-face," Minh said. "When people understand the law, they can protect themselves and avoid unnecessary trouble."

A legal aid officer speaks to local residents during an outreach session in Sơn La Province. — Photo baosonla.vn

More than a thousand residents have joined the centre’s outreach sessions, where lawyers discuss key Vietnamese laws, answer questions and listen to community concerns. The centre also runs a public hotline and offers direct consultations at its headquarters.

So far this year, its 14 lawyers and seven collaborators have handled more than 670 cases, covering criminal, civil, family and administrative matters.

For people like Giàng Khua Dính, a village elder in Hua Lạnh, the sessions have made a tangible difference.

"We used to hear about the law only when someone got in trouble," he said. "Now we know our rights and can solve problems before they grow."

Deputy Director Tòng Văn Minh added that free legal aid was not only about defending clients but also about helping people understand their rights and stand on equal footing before the law. — VNS