The Regional Paralegal Exchange event with the theme “Spotlight on Paralegals: Empowering Communities, Exchanging Stories, Building Solidarity” was organized by The Grassroots Justice Network-Southeast Asia (GJN-SEA) and coordinated by The Alternative Law Groups (ALG).
The event took place in Bangkok, Thailand from August 15-17, 2024, and was attended by participants who are community-based paralegals from Southeast Asian countries (Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, and Thailand).
Over the course of three days, participants discussed findings and recommendations related to the needs and issues faced by community-based paralegals, covering topics such as security, recognition, sustainability, capacity building, and solidarity. The results of these discussions were used by the participants to develop national and regional agendas to promote the fulfillment of rights and access to justice for community-based paralegals.
Several researchers from the Indonesia Judicial Research Society (IJRS) had the opportunity to present material during a capacity-building session for paralegals on the topic of gender mainstreaming for paralegals. This topic generally discussed the role of paralegals beyond their primary task of case assistance. In this context, paralegals can be involved in advocating for policy changes through the data they collect from case handling. Additionally, paralegals can bridge communication with their communities by translating complex legal language into more easily understood terms, helping the community to know their rights, know how to use the law, and advocate for policy reform.
Additionally, there were visits to CSOs in Thailand, such as Asylum Access Thailand, Cross Cultural Foundation, Human Rights and Development Foundation, Thammasat University Law Center, and Thai Lawyers for Human Rights. These visits focused on exchanging information about the work carried out by these CSOs, advocacy strategies, the role of paralegals in case handling, and legal assistance mechanisms, particularly concerning issues related to refugees, minorities, and victims of human rights violations. The meeting is expected to open opportunities for cross-country and cross-organizational collaboration in strengthening the capacity of civil society organizations among participating countries.
