Building partnership between University Legal Aid Clinics and Civil Society Organisations
AIPJ Collaboration with Monash University Law Faculty Family Law Assistance Program builds a partnership between University Legal Aid Clinics and CSO/DPOs.
From 5-7 May, representatives from 5 Indonesian universities participated in a Workshop on Strengthening University Legal Aid Clinics in Indonesia. Monash University Law Faculty supported this meeting by sending Malcolm Bennett and Jennifer Lindstrom from their Family Law Assistance Program (FLAP). FLAP provides legal advisory services to the community at the Dandenong Registry of the Family Court of Australia as well as at the University Legal Aid Clinic at Monash University.
The working meeting in Bandung focused on how to strengthen University Legal Aid Clinics so that they provide a good learning environment for students on the practical aspects of providing legal advice to clients. An outcome of the meeting is that law faculty and students from University Legal Aid Clinics will be able to assist CSO and DPO paralegals in the field and assist women who are poor, their children and people with a disability to have access to legal advisory services as village level, particularly in relation to family law and obtaining legal identity documents.
On Monday, the group visited the Family Law Clinic (BKLHK) at the Sumedang Religious Court that is supported by the Law Faculty of the State Islamic University in Bandung. In 2013, the UIN Family Law Clinic assisted over 2500 clients at PA Sumedang. The UIN Bandung University Legal Aid Clinic provided an excellent example of service to the community that was discussed at the workshop over the following 2 days.
Monash University FLAP shared their experience of running a University Legal Aid Clinic that provides services to the community as well as supporting students who enrol in the Professional Practice subject at Monash University.
The meeting included representatives from Muhammadiyah University (North Sumatra), State Islamic University (West Java and Makassar), University of Mataram (NTB) and University Nusa Cendana (NTT), CSOs and DPOs as well as the National Board for Legal Development (BPHN) in the Ministry of Law and Human Rights and the National Planning and Development Agency (BAPPENAS).
