Asia

The Asia Division currently implements technical legal assistance programs in Cambodia, China, Nepal, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam, and a regional anti-corruption program. It previously has worked in Afghanistan, East Timor, Mongolia, India and Indonesia. Much of the Asia Division’s work focuses on the following substantive areas: judicial and legal profession development, anti-corruption, and citizens' rights advocacy aimed at increasing access to justice. The Asia Division has also played an important role as a convener of region-wide meetings for legal professionals, including a judicial program for high court justices from Indonesia, Laos, Philippines and Thailand that was conceived of and moderated by Asia Division board member and U.S. Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy. More recently, the Asia Division held a regional conference that addressed how members of the legal and judicial professions can combat corruption in the justice sector.

Domestic Violence Survivors Study Released in China

On December 10, China’s Anti-Domestic Violence Network (Anti-DV Network) released the initial findings of China’s first study working directly with domestic violence survivors to identify areas in social and advocacy services that are in need of improvement. The study is part of a broader program, supported by the Anti-DV Network and the ABA Rule of Law Initiative (ABA ROLI), to increase strategic multi-agency coordination in providing support services to domestic violence survivors. The results provide insights about the formal and informal channels domestic violence survivors utilize for support and where additional resources are needed to improve services for survivors. Read more »»

 

Multimedia Spotlight: Small Claims Court in the Philippines

ABA Rule of Law Initiative (ABA ROLI) Country Director Scott Ciment and the rest of the Philippines team have worked diligently to help establish 22 small claims pilot courts in the country. With funding from the U.S. Agency for International Development, ABA ROLI has assisted with the drafting of the small claims courts rules, aided in training judges and court personnel and participated in efforts to broaden the public’s knowledge about the courts. Read more »»

 

ABA Pro Bono Expert Participates in China Roundtable

The chair of the American Bar Association’s (ABA’s) Standing Committee on Pro Bono, Mark Schickman, met in Beijing with representatives from Chinese law firms to discuss strategies for increasing pro bono activities and for promoting public service more broadly within the legal profession. Participants in the December 11 meeting included the director of the All China Lawyers Association Legal Aid and Public Interest Law Committee, the China country director from the Public Interest Law Institute, and partners and attorneys from the Jun He Law Firm, the Da Cheng Law Firm and the De Heng Law Firm. The meeting was facilitated by the ABA Rule of Law Initiative (ABA ROLI). Read more »»

 

ABA ROLI’s Philippines Small Claims Courts Efforts Well Received

After less than two month’s in existence, the Philippines Small Claims Courts have proven to be an early success. ABA Rule of Law Initiative (ABA ROLI) Country Director Scott Ciment and the National Chief Court Administrator attended the opening session of the Small Claims Pilot Court in Ilo Ilo, a mid-size city in Visayas, Philippines. Read more »»

 

Judges from China’s Supreme People’s Court Study Restitution and Victim Compensation Programs

Despite the impressive strides that China has made in formulating criminal laws and in developing an effective criminal justice system during the past three decades, crime victims are often not sufficiently compensated for the loss or damage of properties. In fact, neither the Chinese courts nor the national nor local governments have designated funds or programs to compensate victims. With the assistance of the ABA Rule of Law Initiative (ABA ROLI), a delegation of senior judges from the Supreme People’s Court (SPC) of China visited the United States for two weeks in December. The purpose of the trip was to study U.S. models of compensation for and restitution to crime victims. Read more »»

 

Nancy Anderson Speaks about ABA ROLI to Indian Bar Leaders

On November 3, a dinner reception was held in honor of ABA Rule of Law Initiative's (ABA ROLI's) Asia Division Council Member Nancy Anderson. The reception was hosted by Lalit Bhasin, president of the Society of Indian Law Firms, and attended by many prominent members of the Indian bar. Attendees of note included Fali S. Nariman, president of the Bar Association of India and former Parliament member and P.P. Rao, former president of the Indian Supreme Court Bar Association. Read more »»

 

Vietnamese Bar Leaders Gain Insights During Chinese Study Tour

With their eyes on the future of the legal profession in their own country, a Vietnamese study group spent a week in China visiting national and local bar associations, justice authorities, law firms, legal aid centers and courts. The ABA Rule of Law Initiative (ABA ROLI) worked with the All China Lawyers Association (ACLA) to arrange the September study tour in anticipation of the 2009 inauguration of Vietnam’s first national bar association. Read more »

 

 

• Environmental Public Participation from Wisconsin to Guizhou

• Rules on Small Claims Court Projects Finalized in the Philippines

• The ABA Rule of Law Initiative Joins EarthRights International in Skills Sharing Session

• ABA ROLI and IPB Publishes Annotation of the Code of Professional Responsibility

• First Round of Gender Discrimination Seminars Held in Baguio City

• ABA ROLI Sponsors Workshop Aimed at Protecting of Women’s Rights in China

• The ABA Rule of Law Initiative Completes Training Workshop on Resolving Environmental Disputes

• Regional Anti-Corruption Program Joins Commission in Movement to Protect Thailand's Tourism Industry

• RACA Promotes Anti-corruption Measures as Key to Corporate Social Responsibility