September 24, 2024
VIENTIANE – The rule of law in Laos will be strengthened through an expanded partnership between the United States and Laos to develop the Clinical Legal Education programme and services.
To this end, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on the development of a clinical legal education curriculum at the National Institute of Justice between the Ministry of Justice and Bridges Across Borders Southeast Asia Community Legal Education (BABSEACLE) was signed in Vientiane.
The two-year “Developing and Strengthening Clinical Legal Education Project” is supported with funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
Since 2003, BABSEACLE, an international non-governmental organisation, has been working collaboratively with universities, law students, law faculties, lawyers, members of the legal community, justice related organisational partners, government, and the private sector to develop justice education, pro bono services, and other legal aid programmes throughout Asia and globally.
These include programmes at the Faculty of Law and Political Science, National University of Laos, and the Faculty of Law and Administration at Champassak University.
Clinical legal education uses interactive and reflective teaching methods, often through real-life experiences, to provide law students with practical knowledge, skills and values for the delivery of legal services that promote social justice.
Law students visit villages and secondary schools to raise communities’ legal awareness using interactive methods like songs, role plays and mobile clinics.
They also advise clients at in-house legal counselling centres and through placements in legal-related externship programmes.
USAID Country Representative to Laos, Mr Michael McCord (seventh left), and Deputy Minister of Justice Mr Ketsana Phommachanh (eighth left) join other officials for a photo before the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding. PHOTO: VIENTIANE TIMES
In this way, clinical legal education functions as an additional legal service to communities and contributes to the achievement of UN Sustainable Development Goal No. 16 in relation to peace, justice and strong institutions.
USAID Country Representative to Laos, Mr Michael McCord, highlighted the partnership with the Ministry of Justice, National Institute of Justice and BABSEACLE in promoting access to justice and legal education and empowering law students to pursue careers in the justice system.
“USAID is proud to have supported clinical legal education programmes in Laos since 2018 through BABSEACLE. With this MOU, the programme will assist law students at the National Institute of Justice to broaden their practical skills and techniques to become future lawyers, prosecutors, or judges. The United States remains committed to supporting the Government of Laos to attain its development goals,” Mr McCord said.
With USAID support since 2018, more than 280 law students at the Faculty of Law and Political Science and Faculty of Law and Administration have graduated with enhanced practical legal skills and ethics gained from the programme, and more than 9,000 citizens have benefitted from outreach and legal counselling activities.
Under the MOU, BABSEACLE will initially assist the National Institute of Justice to build the capacity of its teachers in clinical legal education design and methodology and then integrate the topic into law degrees offered by the Institute at the national level in Vientiane, as well as at the Institute’s branches in Luang Prabang, Savannakhet and Champassak provinces.
The MOU was signed by the Ministry of Justice’s Department of International Cooperation and BABSEACLE at a ceremony attended by representatives of the justice ministry; Ministry of Foreign Affairs; the National Institute of Justice and its three branches; Offices of Provincial Government, and Provincial Offices of Justice in Vientiane and the provinces of Luang Prabang, Savannakhet and Champassak; and development partners, including USAID and The Asia Foundation.