PBH / colombia (travelguide, pictures) / post

For women, non-profits and general skeptics

The goal of the Justice Center for Women (El Centro de Justicia para Mujeres or CJM) is a collaborative effort to bring professionals from the Colombian legal and philanthropic communities together in order to increase law students’ awareness of public interest law, the lack of adequate legal services available for poor women (those that are classified as Strato 1, 2 or 3 in Colombia, defined at the top level as those earning less than $2 per hour), and, most importantly, for law students and young lawyers to get experience providing access to legal justice for those without the resources to pay for them. As a result of their experiences, law students will develop a lifetime ethic or commitment to service.

This is a pilot program that will begin with just a small rented office in the Centro area of Armenia, Colombia (population of 310,000), with the goal of eventually expanding the model around the country to bigger cities with multiple law schools (Medellin, Cali, Manizales, Pereira, Cartagena, Barranquilla) as well as the poorest departments of the country, particularly the coastal communities of Choco and La Guajira.

Those working in our office will not only have a “hands-on�? opportunity to meet and interview women about such legal issues as delinquent child support payments, sexual harassment and discrimination, domestic violence, housing, disabilities, child rights, the environment, immigration, workplace-labor rights and compensation, family and marriage law as well as counseling…they will have the ability to apply their knowledge and find solutions in “real life�? for the wide array of problems they are presented. An additional benefit would be university or college credit for participation in the program.

We believe that the law students and licensed lawyers who work at our center should be compensated for their efforts, so those students currently in law school will be paid $5.0 mil per hour for their work, and licensed or practicing lawyers will be paid $10 mil per hour. That translates to a little more than $2 per hour for law students (interns) and $4.33 per hour for actual attorneys who provide their services. This is where the majority of the money will go to, as well as the office rental, phone and other utilities.

One of the primary goals of the organizations will be to forge relationships and eventually partnerships with churches, colleges and universities, non-profit organizations, foundations, social workers, schools and training/education centers, child care providers…all those entities that interface with poor women in Colombia on an everyday basis. These partnerships will lead to the generation of an enormous quantity and scope of legal services. As time goes by and the program expands across the entire country of 42 million people, the network will encompass the majority of Colombia’s public interest and non-profit agencies, law schools, and major law firms and corporations. Corporations will be one of the primary sponsors and fund programming in the future.

El Centro de Justicia para Mujeres (CJM) will occupy a unique niche at the confluence of the legal, education and non-profit communities. This structure will allow us to serve as a powerful force by leveraging available resources into actual services. It is our sincere hope that the legal community in Colombia will financially support our programs, participate in educational seminars, share their public interest and pro bono experiences, and facilitates networking.

By caulfield2 on Mar 1, 2006, 07:16 in Friendly Talkzone.

caulfield2 says on Mar 1, 2006, 09:24:

The few responses I have gotten so far have been of the variety that lawyers (or law students) are not as accustomed to "pro bono" type work as those in the US. That doesn't mean everyone is motivated by money in Colombia, just that the US has a slightly different orientation about volunteering or public interest work.

So probably $10 mil and $20 mil instead of $5 and $10 mil for hourly wages, although that will eat up the $5,000 start-up grant I have more quickly.

I was wondering, also, if anyone knew where I could find (in English) the Top 5 things that poor women need in terms of legal services, particularly in Latin America or Colombia? Immigration/emigration assistance is obvious, although NOT SO obvious for the poorest in society. Helping with securing child care support would seem to be another, domestic violence assistance....maybe workplace disputes or sexual harassment?

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Tinto (Moderator) says on Mar 1, 2006, 09:59:

The pro bono comment does not surprise me given the HUGE difference in starting salaries. Someone fresh out of law school in the U.S. can earn close to six figures with a reasonably large firm.

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bufalo says on Mar 1, 2006, 11:39:

Good luck with it, sounds good. Why the immigration service? Pro-bono is tough in colombia. I had a student of mine, female, that studied in the colombo that did this type of stuff. when I get back i'll look her up and send her your way.

"If you don't like it - lump it, take it down the road and dump it." - Archie Bunker played by Carroll O'Connor

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dilate says on Mar 1, 2006, 17:12:

Sounds like a great project. I would be interested in helping if I were to end up in Colombia in a few months, but I wouldn't be in Armenia. Do you know if there are similar efforts or projects in need of help in Cartagena? (Or research that needs to be done that doesn't have to be done locally in Armenia?)

Is anyone reading this aware of any nonprofits in need of volunteers in Cartagena?

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poco says on Mar 1, 2006, 17:23:

Are you providing security A building in my small backwater village that specializes in renting to lawyers has a full time armed security man guarding the front entry.

Why they think they need this is beyond me.

"When you men get home and face an anti-war protester, look him in the eyes and shake his hand. Then, wink at his girlfriend, because she knows she's dating a pussy." Quote - General Tommy Franks

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caulfield2 says on Mar 1, 2006, 17:56:

Yes, Actuar por Bolivar is a very good agency, it´s near the airport, actually.

I think they have a website too. They have all kinds of programs....computer classes, day care, cosmetics-hairstyling-pedicure-manicure, cooking classes, microloan programs for starting small businesses, something for every volunteer taste.

Tell the director Jim from this past June (I was there 2-3 weeks) sent you. She´s a really nice lady, by the way.

Make sure to go to Barrio Nelson Mandela with their social workers, it´s probably as unforgettable an experience as Machu Pichu.

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dilate says on Mar 1, 2006, 18:36:

Thanks. Are you familiar with Fundacion Esperanza? I know someone who did some work there..
Is there a lot of nonprofit activity in Colombia?

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sweetcalena says on Mar 1, 2006, 18:43:

Good luck!!! That sounds very interesting, I hope it grows even more and it becomes Nationwide. I love and admire when people put up projects like this one.

“Sit down to write what you have thought, and not to think about what you shall write.�?William Cobbett

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bufalo says on Mar 2, 2006, 09:40:

I don't know you from Adam, but one of the reasons I like about this is that, again not knowing you, you don't seem to do it for ego. I see a lot of "viejas" married to lawyers and doctors and who knows what else that do this stuff just so they can get their picture in the paper and have everyone ass-kiss them. They really don't care if their project fails after a while as long as people think they are important and continue to call them "doctora". ¡Have fun!

"If you don't like it - lump it, take it down the road and dump it." - Archie Bunker played by Carroll O'Connor

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