Day 2 – Saturday Sep, 14 – Yak & Yeti Hotel Kathmandu Nepal

Registration

Conference Organizers

Introduction & Welcome Address Day 2

Conference Organizers

Introduction and welcome address from conference organizers

Empowering-Engaging-Sustaining Pro Bono Tales

Putting the Breaks on Dangerous Winter Horse Racing in Mongolia

Presenter: Baasanjargal Khurelbaatar, (ELC Law Firm) | Mongolia

‘Horse racing and herding are integral to Mongolian culture.

Chinggis Khan’s horseback warriors are the stuff of Mongol legends and still today, a nomad’s wealth is in great part measured by how many horses he keeps.

But those opposed to winter horse racing argue that it is rooted in elite greed, rather than in tradition. Child welfare advocate Bolorsaikhan Badamsambuu explained that winter horse racing has only emerged over the last two decades as a tool for elite income generation and networking.

UNESCO has recognised Nadaam, a July holiday celebrating horse racing, archery, and wrestling, as part of Mongolia’s intangible cultural heritage.

However, as Badamsambuu argues, children racing in winter is not part of this tradition. “The current Mongolian horse-racing obsession is promoting all-seasons horse racing and is destroying the lives of children.” The legal battle to outlaw winter and children’s horse racing has been led by Baasanjargal Khurelbaatar, an Ulaanbaatar-based lawyer who took on the case pro bono.
She worked with 27 civil society organisations to present the case in the country’s Supreme Court. While her group has been successful in changing legislation, enforcement may be difficult.

“The lawyers did what we were supposed to do. Now government organisations must work even harder to protect children.”‘

Abstract from ALJAZEERA report https://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/inpictures/mongolia-puts-brakes-dangerous-winter-horse-racing-190314080106644.html

Growing the Pro Bono Movement-APBC Updates and Reports

Facilitators/Presenters: 
1) Bruce A. Lasky, (Lanna Lawyers & BABSEACLE) | Thailand
2) Mary Catherine Alvarez, (StreetLawPH) | Philippines
3) Lindsay Ernst, (Hong Kong University) | Hong Kong
4) Meenakshi Menon, (iProbono) | India
5) Haya  Zahid, (Legal Aid Office) | Pakistan
6) Jane Sanders, (Herbert Smith Freehills/The Shopfront Youth Legal Centre) | Australia
7) Maja Daruwala, (Tata Trusts & Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative) | India

This session will consider the programs and initiatives that have grown from the Asia Pro Bono Movement, including specifically from the APBC. This vital plenary will explore what is currently happening, and provide the participants of the APBC and the Asia Pro Bono Consortium a platform to effectively strategize on future approaches to continue to grow and strengthen this vibrant movement.

Morning refreshments

Visit the various justice organizations at the Pro Bono Bazaar and the Silent Auction

Engaging Pro Bono Support from the Judiciary

Facilitator/Presenter: Roshani Poudyal, (Himalayan Lawyers & Associates) | Nepal

Presenters:
1) Nahakul Subedi, (Nepal High Court) | Nepal
2) Khagendra Prasad Adhikari, (Supreme Court Bar Association) | Nepal
3) Narayan Ghimire, (Advocate) | Nepal
4) MD. Alamgir Hossain, (District Court Legal Aid) | Bangladesh

Legal aid and pro bono, while distinct, both aim to create greater access to justice through the provision of free legal services to vulnerable members of the community. This session outlines the similarities and differences of legal aid and pro bono, and the roles played by the Judiciary and wider justice sector in promoting fundamental services.

Pro bono for Human Trafficking Victims in Nepal

Facilitator/Presenter: Tek Narayan Kunwar, (Judge of High Court) | Nepal

Presenters: 
1) Samjhana Ghimire, (LACC) | Nepal 
2) Sabin Shrestha, (Forum for Women, Law & Development) | Nepal
3) Carolyn Tanner, (Winrock International) | Nepal
4) Anupam Samser Jbr, (Nepal Police Trafficking Bureau) | Nepal
5) Michael Heyman, (US Embassy Nepal) | Nepal

Many people around the world are victims of human trafficking. The impact on victims is detrimental to their physical and mental well-being. Victims require legal representation due to the complexities of their cases. However, most victims have no means to afford legal representation. For that reason, free legal counseling can provide victims the help they need to preserve their dignity. This session will demonstrate how Pro Bono services leverage the skills of legal service providers to assist those affected by human trafficking.

Effective Pro Bono Frameworks to Promote and Protect Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (in South Asia)

Facilitator/Presenter: Mariam Faruqi, (iProbono) | UK

Presenters: 
1) Mizanur Rahman, (University of Dhaka) | Bangladesh 
2) Mara Malagodi, (Chinese University of Hong Kong) | Hong Kong 
3) Barun Ghimire, (iProbono) | Nepal
4) Hari Phuyal, (Nepal Supreme Court) | Nepal

This session aims to share varied experiences across the South Asia region in an interactive forum and trace a road-map for strengthening the emerging pro bono culture in the region, through capacity building and promoting pro bono culture within a multidisciplinary student engagement and effective frameworks to promote and protect economic, social and cultural rights (in South Asia).

The Empowerment of Prisoners Through Paralegal and Pro Bono Support

Facilitators/Presenters: 
1) Tahera Yasmin, (GIZ) | Bangladesh
2) Chanchal Mukherjee, (GIZ) | Bangladesh
3) Bayzid Mia, (GIZ) | Bangladesh
4) Shah Maksud Noor, (GIZ) | Bangladesh
5) Md. Soaib Akter, (RDRS) | Bangladesh
6) Md. Polash Hossain, (RDRS) | Bangladesh
7) Md. Rashedul Islam (BLAST) | Bangladesh
8) Chamile Akter Nisheta, (BLAST) | Bangladesh
9) Haya  Zahid, (Legal Aid Office) | Pakistan

This session will explore, demonstrate and provide insightful lessons as well as showcase materials and training techniques on how paralegals provide legal empowerment and services through pro bono support for prisoners.

Developing and Sustaining Pro Bono Practices and Pro Bono Initiatives

Facilitator/Presenter: M. Salauddin Hassan, (Legal Counsel) | Bangladesh

Presenters:
1) Jane Sanders,  (The Shopfront Youth Legal Centre) | Australia
2) Nirmala Masilamani, (Nirmala Many & Partners Law Firm) | Indonesia
3) Omar H. Khan, (Legal Counsel) | Bangladesh

This session will discuss the ways in which pro bono practices and initiatives are being developed and ways in which these practices and initiatives are being sustained into the future.

Combating Gender Based Violence Through Pro Bono Partnerships and Collaborations

Facilitators/Presenters: Pavina Thephithuck, (BABSEACLE) | Laos & Jonathan Olier, (White & Case) | Singapore

Presenters:
1) Laura Hawxhurst, (Justice Center Hong Kong) | Hong Kong

A focus of this workshop will be the methods utilized by a collaborative partnership of those involved, to plan and implement a strategy which builds the capacity of various legal service providers. These strategies work hand-in-hand with marginalized women in communities with a view to combating gender-based violence.

Strengthening Pro Bono Through Technology

Presenter/Facilitator: San Ng, (The Asia Foundation) | USA

Presenters:
1) Isfundiar Kasuri, (Justice Project Pakistan) | Pakistan

This presentation will show the importance of the Internet and relevant technologies that can be used to help bridge cost as a barrier to justice through lowering legal costs for clients by saving the lawyers time and distance.

The presentation will engage participants in a role play between client, intermediary legal service provider, where the intermediary will rely on internet compatible forms to provide the legal service provider with relevant data from the client.

Lunch

Visit the various justice organizations at the Pro Bono Bazaar and the Silent Auction

Pro Bono, Business and Human Rights

Facilitator/Presenter: Harpreet Kaur, (UNDP )| India 

Presenters:
1) Ravi Prakash Vyas, (Kathmandu School of Law) | Nepal
2) Saroj K Ghimire, (Himalayan Lawyers & Associates) | Nepal
3) Livio Sarandrea, (UNDP) | Thailand
4) Sor Rattana, (Community Resource Center) | Thailand

This session will focus on the role of Pro Bono work in the context of the implementation of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs). Emphasis will be given to the 3rd pillar of the UNGPs that looks at remedial mechanisms for human rights abuses committed in business operations. Practitioners from Thailand, India and Nepal will show brief video content, and present illustrative case studies to spring an interactive debate on the legal and operational environment necessary for Pro Bono work to contribute to foster Responsible Business Conduct in Asia.

The Growing Role of Pro Bono in Combating Human Trafficking and Forced Labour

Facilitator/Presenter: Kristin Rosella, (Liberty Shared Legal Impact Hub) | Cambodia

Presenters:
1) Sa Im Meas, (Cambodian Human Rights and Development Association) | Cambodia
2) Robert (Bob) Mittelstaedt, (Jones Day) | USA
3) Henry S. Rojas, (Lawyers Beyond Borders Philippines) | Philippines

This session will provide examples of local pro bono efforts, however modest, will be shared with a discussion around what is needed to build on this effort. Challenges faced by the pro bono movement and, in particular, the risk associated, resources required, lack incentive and procedural hurdles (eg. imposed by law society or bar association) will be highlighted with a focus on identifying solutions to these challenges.

Reducing Pre-trial Detention (Achieving SDG 16.3.2) through Private-Public Partnerships

Facilitator/Presenter: Holly Hobart, (The International Legal Foundation) | USA

Presenters: 
1) Babita Basnet, (Public Defender Society of Nepal) | Nepal 
2) Madhurima Dhanuka, (Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative) | India 
3) Susan Lee, (MyJustice) | Myanmar 
4) Bahadur Ghising, (Public Defender Society of Nepal) | Nepal 
5) May Phyo Eain, (Taungoo Justice Centre) | Myanmar 
6) Thi Thi Han, (International Legal Foundation) | Myanmar

This session will present strategies for reducing the proportion of unsentenced detainees among prison populations to achieve SDG 16 with a focus on exploring experiences of collaboration and advocacy alliances among bar associations, law students and faculty, civil society legal aid providers, and private pro bono practitioners, as well as engaging participants to develop individual and collective action plans that everyone can take home with them.

Donor and Development Partners Meeting on ‘Ensuring Access to Justice for All in Asia

Facilitators: Sumaiya Islam, (OSF/OSJI) | UK & Nick Booth, (UNDP) | Thailand

Participation by Invitation 

Leveraging Pro Bono to Achieve Sustained Progress on Reproductive Rights in Asia and Beyond

Facilitator/Presenter: Marlene Halpern, (Center for Reproductive Rights ) | USA

Presenters: 
1) Purna Shrestha, (Center for Reproductive Rights) | Nepal
2) Prabina Bajracharya, (Center for Reproductive Rights) | Nepal 
3) Sharmila Shrestha, (Justice for All) | Nepal 
4) Sabin Shrestha, (Forum for Women, Law and Development) | Nepal

With women often facing a multitude of both similar and diverse legal related challenges and obstacles throughout the Asia region related to reproductive health rights, this session will illustrate a variety of pro bono related services provided in different types of legal jurisdictions, and current efforts being employed to apply common lessons learned across borders.

Multi-Faceted Ways of Achieving Access to Justice for Migrants Through Pro Bono Support

Facilitator/Presenter: Linda Al Kalash (Tamkeen Fields for Aid) | Jordan

Presenters:
1) Shom Prasad Luitel (People Forum for Human Rights) | Nepal
2) Satoko Tabata (Tamagawa University) | Japan
3) Dinesh Joshi (University of Tokyo & C-Rights) | Japan

This session will explore a number of effective ways that pro bono support can assist issues faced by migrants in various jurisdictions. The session will also work as an awareness raising mechanism about the access to justice plights of various migrant groups throughout the Asia region and globally.

From Street Lawyering to Human Rights Lawyering to Community Lawyering—All Leading to Rebellious Lawyering

Facilitators/Presenters: 
1) S M Masum Billah, (Jagannath University & ELCOP) | Bangladesh
2) Arpeeta Shams Mizan, (iProbono & University of Dhaka) | Bangladesh
3) Mizanur Rahman, (University of Dhaka) | Bangladesh

This session will demonstrate how street lawyering, human rights lawyering, and community lawyering can be utilised to empower the poor and ensure greater access to justice. 

Afternoon refreshments

Visit the various justice organizations at the Pro Bono Bazaar and the Silent Auction

Expanding the Asia Pro Bono Roundtable Network

Facilitator/Presenters: Fiona Li, (Trust Law) | Thailand & Trishna Mohan Kripalani, (Trust Law) | India

Presenters: 
1) Mohanmmed Rakinul Hakim [Alvi], (DLA Piper) | Thailand
2) Wendy Morrish, (BABSEACLE) | Thailand
3) Tanguy Lim, (Law Society Pro Bono Services) | Singapore

One of the most effective means of growing pro bono in the Asia region, and globally, has been through the use of pro bono roundtable initiatives. This plenary session will focus on ways and means that these roundtables have been applied, and will provide specific case studies of success engagements. All of this will be done as a means to further strengthen the Asia and Global Pro Bono Movement.

Closing of Day 2

“Good Women”-Cocktail/Reception Event

Awareness Raising Event to Support Women Who Use Drugs and Women in Prison for Drug Offences Event Requires Pre-Conference Registration and is Supported by the International Drug Policy Consortium in partnership with the Asia Pro Bono Consortium. (space limited availability)
​​​​​​​(Venue: Yellow Pagoda Hotel)