Legal Aid

The Asia Foundation, with support from the International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs Office of the U.S. Department of State, has been working in close partnership with the Supreme Court and the Philippine Association of Law Schools on the Strengthening Rule of Law Through Legal Aid Clinics in the Philippines project. The project aims to o… Read more

This week, the Senate prepares to vote on House Bill No. 6052 which will lower the age of criminal liability in the nation from 15 to 12 years old. With the absence of a juvenile justice system, this means that children in conflict with the law…

Having worked with Indonesia’s higher education sector since 2000, I have come to believe that studying abroad is as close as one may come to a “sure thing” in Indonesian developmental assistance. Indonesian students and professors studying abroad are exposed to new educational techniques and knowledge…

Law has little meaning when it is not widely understood. Concepts like “conflict of interest” or “integrity” are used repeatedly in theories and explanations of law, but they are not self-explanatory. Perhaps nowhere is this more the case than in Timor-Leste, where rule of law is in the early stages of institutionalization and not well-understood by most citizens.

In this new video, Nepal Country Representative George Varughese describes The Asia Foundation’s approach to community mediation in Nepal, and includes footage of mediators and disputants engaged in an actual mediation session…

During my recent visit to Laos, I couldn’t help but notice the abundance of newspaper headlines proclaiming the country’s economic success stories. Firm phrases such as “World Bank predicts Lao economic growth at 8.6 percent,” “Vietnam & Laos boost rubber cooperation,” and “New Laos airline preparing for takeoff,” stood out at stands…

Last month, Timor-Leste took a commendable step toward institutionalizing free legal assistance for its citizens who cannot afford it. Although the exact shape of legal assistance for the disadvantaged here remains uncertain…

In Timor-Leste’s nascent formal justice sector, legal aid organizations play a key role in ensuring access to justice for the country’s most disadvantaged citizens. Located in remote corners of the country, legal aid organizations work in isolated communities that are still out of the reach of the formal justice sector.

Legal professionals are indispensable for the rule of law; they draft laws, shape government policy, ensure compliance with legitimate rules and regulations, and inculcate respect for individual rights. Education dramatically affects a lawyer’s performance…

In the larger debate about the relationship of development assistance to security, the gap between normative assertions and empirical evidence yawns. Since the 1990s, the concept of “rule of law” has been enthusiastically embraced by international development actors and touted as the key to consolidating peace in post-conflict societies. Rhetorical… Read more

Last week, Timor-Leste’s Ministry of Justice released an initial draft law on state financial legal assistance, signaling a bold new initiative for the government. The law outlines a mechanism through which private lawyers can be paid by the state for their legal services in a court process, either criminal or civil, when representing clients unabl… Read more

News stories have told the stories of thousands of Timorese people who suffered greatly during the 24-year fight for independence from Indonesia. However, perhaps a less told story is that many Timorese were also arbitrarily detained during that period, a violation of the principle of rule of law as stated in the constitution. On Aug. 30, 1999, 78… Read more