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Domestic violence has been identified as a major problem in Tonga and in particular among women, according to legal officer Fitilagi Fa'anunu.
The Family Protection Legal Aid Centre, where Ms Fa'anunu will be based, is to focus purely on domestic violence cases, not general family matters.
She says there is an eligibility condition for receiving the free legal service.
"In order for someone to be eligible for the centre's free legal service, they must be a survivor or victim of domestic violence, so legal remedies such as protection orders against the perpetrator of violence within a domestic relationship as defined under the legislation."
Ms Fa'anunu says the centre enables survivors to get better access to justice in Tonga.
"The centre's mandate to focus primarily on providing free legal advice and representation in court. The centre is a major step forward by the government to respond to address the issue of domestic violence and this will no doubt empower those who are most vulnerable to have increased access to the justice system."
The Ministry of Justice established the centre with the support of the Regional Rights Resource Team.
The ministry's Assistant Secretary, 'Aunofo Aholelei, says the objective of the centre directly aligns with the Ministry's mandate.
"It also aligned with the support that we at the Ministry of Justice provide to ensure proper administration of justice and our existing obligations under the Family Protection Act."
Ms Aholelei says the centre is their response to shortfalls in implementation of the Family Protection Act.
"It was identified later after the enforcement of the act by key stakeholders that there were gaps in the implementation of the Family Protection Act and in particular the lack of free legal services to assist survivors of domestic violence and the lack of services that are available in outer islands."
The Ministry and the legal aid centre have teamed up with local telecommunications companies to address the lack of services in outer islands.
Ms Fa'anunu says the centre opens Monday to Friday and also offers an after hours telephone service.
"We have had the support of TCC and also Digicel who have agreed to assist us in terms of txt messages to widen the dissemination of publicity on the centre as the centre is not focus on Tongatapu only. We're trying to reach all the islands in Tonga."
The centre is funded by Tonga's government, in partnership with the governments of Australia and Sweden.
Charlotta Bredberg from the Embassy of Sweden based in Thailand released a statement commending the ground breaking work of Tonga.
"We are convinced that the legal aid centre will make a positive impact on individuals and families who have experienced domestic violence in Tonga."
The centre is situated within the Ministry of Justice's compound and is conveniently located next to the Magistrates' Court in Nuku'alofa.
