Resource information
This paper examines the current status
of justice and dispute-resolution mechanisms in Bangladesh,
ranging from the formal justice system to the traditional
shalish (a form of dispute resolution), and focuses on the
costs and benefits of utilizing nongovernmental organization
(NGO)-led legal services programs as an alternative form of
justice delivery and dispute resolution for the poor, with a
focus on women and girls. In particular, this paper takes a
closer look at a the Human Rights and Legal Aid Services
(HRLS) program of BRAC, a leading NGO that works to empower
the poorest and most vulnerable in Bangladesh and eleven
other countries across the world. HRLS provides a
combination of Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee
(BRAC)-led shalish, human rights community based education,
community mobilization through a corps of community-based
outreach workers (known as shebikas), and recourse to the
courts via a network of panel lawyers if needed. This paper
will examine the successes of this model in rural Bangladesh
as well as the challenges it faces in making an impact on
solving the justice problems of the poor and contributing to
gender equity. Ultimately, it aims to present a case study
that illustrates the strengths and challenges of a legal
empowerment model that is quickly gaining traction around
the world.
