Caitlin Lambert & Children’s Legal Defense Center (CLDG)

Caitlin Lambert is a human rights lawyer and co-founder of the Children’s Legal Defense Center (CLDC) in Somaliland. With over a decade of experience in international law and criminal defense, she is committed to ensuring that marginalized children, particularly girls, have access to justice. Caitlin co-founded CLDC after witnessing firsthand how children in Somaliland’s criminal justice system often face incarceration without legal support, leaving them vulnerable to unfair trials and harsh penalties.

Since its founding in 2020, CLDC has provided legal aid to over 2,600 children, securing the release of more than 1,600 and reducing sentences for hundreds. The organization works to ensure fair trials, defend children’s rights, and promote rehabilitation over punishment. By combining legal expertise with community education, CLDC empowers children and strengthens systemic protections, fostering a more just society.

With the $500 Giving Joy microgrant, CLDC will provide legal defense for 10–15 imprisoned girls and young women whose cases involve gender-based discrimination, violence, harmful social norms, and other justice-system violations affecting girls and young women. The grant allows CLDC to strengthen and deepen its support for an especially vulnerable group without diverting resources from its wider child protection work.

This activity will help CLDC build the foundation for its first female-focused legal unit. Through hands-on casework, the team will refine gender-responsive legal strategies, strengthen internal expertise, and document the challenges girls face within Somaliland’s justice system. The evidence gathered will guide future programming and shape a sustainable approach to gender-sensitive legal aid.

Beyond immediate case outcomes (i.e. fairer trials, reduced sentences, or release), the grant supports long-term institutional development. CLDC will pursue strategic legal arguments where appropriate to reinforce child-protection laws and challenge discriminatory interpretations. These efforts can set positive precedent, influence how future cases are handled, and expand the impact beyond the pilot’s direct beneficiaries.

Overall, the grant contributes to fairer outcomes for imprisoned girls and young women and helps affirm their rights to dignity, protection, and equal treatment under the law.