Central Asia Sub-Regional Feminist Legal Theory and Practice (FLTP) Training

Deadline: 24 September 2018
Open to: judges, lawyers, paralegal, activists, prosecutors, case workers, academics, media persons, writers, poets, women human rights defenders, who engage with law or use law for women’s human rights and social justice; and who protect Human/Women’s rights and support feminist values
Venue: Almaty, Kazakhstan

Description

Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development (APWLD) and the Public Foundation “Development of Civil Society” are inviting applications for the 1st Central Asia Sub-Regional Feminist Legal Theory and Practice (FLTP) Training, which will be held from 4-9 November 2018 in Almaty, Kazakhstan. This year, the Sub-Regional FLTP will focus on building the capacity of judges, lawyers, activists, paralegals, prosecutors, case workers, para-legal volunteers, academicians, media persons, writers, poets and women human rights defenders, on feminism and law that is relevant to human rights, law and development work in Central Asia.

The FLTP training has been one of the core capacity building activities of APWLD that has now grown into a dynamic program that offers a unique model in the region. The FLTP as a training programme has been running for more than two decades and has over 600 FLTP Grads in at least 18 countries in the Asia Pacific. It enables participants to use feminist analysis and perspectives in legal practice and activism and is premised on the tenets of participatory training where group work is included.

The FLTP framework has feminism as its core and human rights as its foundation. The training seeks to challenge the traditional notion that law is a neutral, objective and rational set of rules, unaffected by the perspective of those who wield power in societies. Participants are enjoined to appreciate and analyse the social, cultural and political contexts that shape the legal system. Understanding that law (as a culture, system and as an institution) is a reality that women face and engage with; it is essential for women’s rights activists to explore how law can be utilized to transform women’s lives.

During the course participants apply the principles to a particular law, policy or practice within their different country and issue context, that impede on the women’s human rights and are encouraged to develop strategies and to challenge these practices.

The specific objectives of the training are:

  • To enable participants to share their experiences of feminist legal advocacy
  • To develop greater understanding of gender, discrimination, equality, law and human rights
  • To provide the participants with tools for feminist advocacy, strategic litigation, and capacity building.
  • To identify and address challenges and dilemmas encountered by women’s rights advocates in their use of legal strategies to address women’s rights
  • To enhance the capability of participants to effectively challenge discriminatory laws and practices in their countries by feminist, rights-based legal practice and by applying international conventions and precedents for advancement of women’s human rights
  • To ignite campaigns to advance women’s human rights in Central Asia
  • To build a network of feminist legal practitioners and activists at the sub-regional level
  • to provide of participants of knowledge and skills on FLTP 

The training will focus on the following themes: women’s lives and realities; feminism and women’s movement; structural and systemic forces of oppression, feminist engagement with the law, Globalisation, Fundamentalism and Militarism and Patriarchy; women, human rights and developments in international law; and strategies for feminist legal theory and practice.

This training will create a pool of Central Asia FLTP graduates (FLTP Grads) who will use the FLTP framework as part of the movement to support substantive legal change that uphold women’s human rights.

Eligibility

  • Training is open to all genders
  • APWLD members as well as non-members from Central Asia may apply
  • Judges, lawyers, paralegal, activists (working for women’s human rights on any concerns ranging from violence against women, land rights, climate justice, labour and migrant rights to decent work and living wage; and access to information technology), prosecutors, case workers, academics, media persons, writers, poets, women human rights defenders, who engage with law or use law for women’s human rights and social justice; and who protect Human/Women’s rights and support feminist values may apply
  • Activists and development workers engaged with the and other international and sub-regional bodies on issues of marginalized groups, for example: land, food, climate, labour, political participation etc.

Selected participants must:

  • Attend the training in its entirety.
  • Respond to emails in a timely way as that will be the main method of communicating regarding deadlines, registration, hotel and travel arrangements.
  • Produce a Personal Action Plantowards the end of the training that demonstrates how they will utilise the training as part of a strategy to bring about changes in laws, policies or practices in their country.
  • Respond to periodic follow up from APWLD after the training.
  • Maintain the communication with APWLD and the FLTP community as a means of support
  • Use the experience and skills learnt in the FLTP to conduct a litigation, legal strategies based on women human rights perspectives
  • Available to attend FLTP ToT in the future

Benefits

APWLD will cover costs of board and lodging for the 6-day training (inclusive of a 1-day solidarity activity). In addition, APWLD will also cover costs of discounted economy airfare to and from Almaty, Kazakhstan, visa fee, airport tax, travel tax. All additional travel related expenses must be informed by the participant to APWLD beforehand for approval or participant will not be reimbursed for those expenses.

How to apply?

Read the application procedure here.

For more information please visit the official website.