Past trainings have seen the importance of providing a venue for people from around the region to share experiences in using the law when advocating for women’s human rights. Feminist litigation is a relatively new concept in terms of practice in the region and therefore it is vital that exchanges occur to allow the development of such concept into an effective tool for the eradication of discrimination against women and other vulnerable groups. Another highlight of such training is the provision of an opportunity to develop a greater understanding of gender, discrimination, law and human rights which are crucial when identifying and discussing issues and dilemma’s encountered by rights/legal advocates in their use of legal strategies to address gender issues.

The Feminist Legal Theory and Practice training has been a significant activity of the Asia Pacific Forum on Women Law and Development. The first training was implemented in Malaysia and has grown into a dynamic program that offers a unique model in the region in so far as it attempts to bring feminist insights and perspectives into legal practice. Given that law and its institutions are realities that women face or engage with in relation to their practical and strategic gender needs, it is essential for women’s rights activists to explore how the utilization, particularly through litigation, can transform women’s situations.

Partners throughout the region have perceived the area of feminist legal theory and practice as a new and important area in which little had been done in the region. The trainings therefore seeks to challenge the traditional notion that law is a neutral, objective, rational set of rules, unaffected by the perspective of those who possess the power inherent in the legal institutions. Such training also seeks to address the social, cultural and political context that the shape the legal system.

Training have been implemented both at national and regional level. Participants have attested that the training has introduced feminist perspective to legal practice. In the Pacific, it has urged a participant to file a case to question the rule of corroboration in evidence in rape cases. The High Court upheld that the testimony of women in rape cases need not be corroborated. However, no systematic assessment of the training has been made.
General Objective:

1. to provide opportunities for lawyers/legal advocates and activists to share experiences in using litigation strategies in addressing gender issues and concerns;
2. to clarify conceptual issues encountered by women, women’s and human rights groups in utilizing litigation strategies;
3. to discuss and critique the framework/s and methodology of analysis and argumentation in litigation employed by advocates in addressing gender issues and concerns
4. identify feminist litigation strategies which may be used in the Asia Pacific region
5. to identify principles of feminist litigation

The training is usually conducted between three - five days allowing opportunities for the participants to practice and share strategies of practical implementation of the framework.

Programme Officer: Yamini