HOPE Summer Program in Tanzania: African Probate & Policy Initiative

Program Description:

The African Probate & Policy Initiative is designed to foster study, research, and on-site experiences in Africa. The Initiative will focus on the role of probate and property laws in Tanzanian society, the impact of HIV/AIDS and other illnesses, and the human rights implications of both on life in Tanzania.

The Tanzanian legal system is based on British common law, but includes elements of Islamic law (khadi courts), codified customary law, and traditional law. This melding of various legal systems can prove challenging for lawyers practicing in Tanzania, as well as to officials whose task it is to implement and enforce the law. As such, Tanzania provides an exceptional environment for comparative legal studies.

This program offers students:

  • The ability to participate in a direct setting in a course focused on human rights in Africa
  • The study of comparative legal systems with a focus on comparative probate law & policy
  • Experiential learning and the opportunity to engage, firsthand, in providing legal services in a developing country
  • Fieldwork with direct client interaction in providing probate assistance and drafting of wills to rural Tanzanians

Course Information:

Course Title:    African Probate & Policy Initiative
Credits:             6 Credits

For More Information:

Please contact Gretchen Bellamy, Director of International Public Interest Programs.