In times of crisis, access to justice becomes more crucial than ever. Disasters, such as the devastating earthquakes that struck Türkiye in February 2023, leave communities vulnerable, not only in terms of shelter and basic needs but also in accessing their legal rights. In such scenarios, traditional legal systems can often be overwhelming, complex, and inaccessible for those in need. This is where legal design plays a transformative role in ensuring justice is within reach for all.

What is Legal Design?

Legal design is an innovative, human-centered approach that combines law, design, and technology to make legal information, processes and systems more understandable and accessible. Especially legal information design shifts away from dense legal jargon and unstructured documents, instead utilizing visual elements, plain language, and structured layouts that enhance clarity and usability. By putting users at the center, legal design fosters inclusivity and empowers individuals to better understand and exercise their rights.

Legal Design in Disaster Recovery

In post-earthquake recovery efforts, ensuring that affected populations can easily access legal information is vital. Legal design offers a way to simplify complex processes, helping people navigate legal challenges efficiently, especially when they are already in distress.

By incorporating legal design principles, recovery efforts can ensure that affected communities:

• Understand their rights and entitlements regarding aid, shelter, and financial support.
• Access legal support without confusion or overcoming bureaucratic obstacles with confidence.
• Seek protection from violence and discrimination through clear legal pathways.

UN Women Türkiye’s Legal Design Initiatives

Recognizing the importance of accessible legal information, UN Women Türkiye has developed three key documents that serve as vital resources for earthquake-affected communities:

• Your Rights Regarding Earthquake-Related Issues (Read here) – This guide provides clear, straightforward explanations of legal rights in the aftermath of an earthquake, ensuring that affected individuals understand their entitlements and available legal pathways.
• Guide to Combatting Violence with Questions and Answers (Read here) – In times of crisis, risks of gender-based violence increase. This document offers an easy-to-navigate Q&A format to help individuals understand their rights, report violence, and seek legal support effectively.
• 5 Steps to Legal Aid (Read here) – Legal aid can be a complex and intimidating process. This guide simplifies the process into five clear steps, enabling individuals to access legal representation and support without confusion.

These documents not only provide crucial legal information but also demonstrate how legal design can be an essential tool in disaster recovery. By making legal knowledge accessible, visually engaging, and user-friendly, legal design strengthens resilience, empowers communities, and ensures that justice is not an abstract concept but a tangible resource available to all. Legal design is not just about simplifying law; it is about making justice work for everyone, especially in times of crisis. In post-earthquake Türkiye, where affected individuals are already facing immense challenges, these tools are more than just documents—they are pathways to justice and recovery.