inTouch Multicultural Centre Against Family Violence’s Post

We are calling for an urgent funding commitment from Federal and State Governments to increase funding for Community Legal Centres nationwide, to ensure women and children live free of domestic and family violence and everyone has access to justice   At Justice Support Centre, we’ve supported over 13,394 people in the past financial year alone, including 11,671 women and children dealing with the harsh realities of domestic and family violence. Even though we reach so many – due to funding constraints we are also forced to turn away more than half of the people who are referred to us for Legal Services. Our team faces the impossible daily task of prioritising the most vulnerable cases - who face additional barriers such as disability, homelessness, or language barriers - whilst turning so many away that urgently need our support.     Although we welcome last Friday’s announcement that the Commonwealth Government will commit five years funding for a new National Access to Justice partnership, we stand with Community Legal Centres Australia to call for a significant increase in this funding. We also stand with Community Legal Centres NSW to call for the NSW Government to contribute funding. This critical investment will ensure that no one in need of legal assistance is left behind. #DoubleTheFunds #DoubleTheImpact #CLCNSW #FundingNeeded #JSC #CLCs  Read more below and support CLCs and the work we do. >>> Read the CLC Media Release: https://lnkd.in/gDJmMxz7 >>> Save Community Legal Centres: https://lnkd.in/gVxPbV42... >>> Justice Support Centre: https://lnkd.in/gU5EJNfH

Community Legal Centres Queensland is in Canberra this week to meet with MPs about the funding and workforce crisis facing Community Legal Centres. We are calling on the Federal Government to: *Release the NLAP Review Report before the Federal Budget in May *Make a firm commitment of funding in the forward estimates as part of the May budget *Commit to increased funding for Community Legal Centres #communitylaw #fundequaljustice

Specialist early intervention and crisis response legal services like the Domestic Violence Unit are critical to achieving enduring safe and positive outcomes for victim-survivors of gender-based violence.

Fighting for human rights to be realised is a daily reality many Australians face. Hard to hear for many, but this is the truth of the matter. Privilege has a perspective that often does not have a sufficient vantage point (or ability) to see and respond to the circumstances of those less fortunate. I have been working in the community law space for more than two years now. It's a great honour to support such important work that is sadly often invisible to most. Why is it invisible? Because it isn't big money land, community lawyers and allied professionals are often working directly with the most under privileged, marginalised or/and chronically dismissed. Community legal centres do truly formidable work. Read more about the state of affairs when it comes to accessing justice and advocating for human rights at a grassroots level in Australia. CLCs need more funding, asap! #humanrights #advocate #communitylaw #accesstojustice #socialjustice #systemsreform #queensland #australia

Community Legal Centres from around Queensland will gather in Brisbane next week to hold crisis talks after a disappointing Federal Budget this week.   Community Legal Centres Queensland has described the Federal Government’s failure to make sufficient investment in Community Legal Centres for 2024-25, or to commit to ongoing legal assistance funding via the forward estimates, as a message that Queensland Community Legal Centres should plan for winding down services.   Community Legal Centres Queensland Director, Roslyn Monro said the clock is ticking louder in Queensland, with only just over 3 months before the State government goes into caretaker mode in advance of the State election, shutting down any opportunities to finalise new funding arrangement under the new national partnership from 2025. “The Federal government’s failure to deliver sufficient legal assistance funding or long funding security in the budget means people and communities across Queensland face the very real risk that free legal services they rely on will not be available in the near future,” she said. “People come to Community Legal Centres for help accessing basic human needs like shelter, safety from violence, and financial security. “With just 13 months’ funding left, a State election in October and no funding security beyond June 2025, community legal centres across Queensland will be forced to make impossible decisions about which outreaches to close, which areas of law to stop practising in, which programs and services to wind down, which staff to retrench, and whether they can stay open at all. “People and communities will pay the price.”   Ms Monro said the upcoming State Budget in June was an opportunity for the State Government to step up.   Queensland Community Legal Centres are calling on the Queensland Government to urgently inject $15,000,000 per annum in 2024-2025 and commit to funding security into the forward estimates. “Queensland Community Legal Centres are already stretched to the limit and having to turn away more the 90,000 people each year because of limited resources and staffing shortages,” Ms Monro said. “The Queensland Government has an opportunity to avert the immediate crisis by injecting $15,000,000 into Queensland community legal centres for 2024-2025 and funding security in the forward estimates in the upcoming June Budget.   “This will assist centres to maintain the current suite services and help address the 22% wage disparity between workers at CLCs and Legal Aid Queensland.” #communitylaw #fundequaljustice #fundclcs #Budget2024

Barwon Community Legal Service welcomes the Commonwealth’s commitment to funding legal assistance beyond 1 July 2025. However, only a small fraction of the additional $800 million over five years will reach community legal centres. The Save Community Legal Centres Campaign calls on the Federal Government to save our sector and provide fair pay and conditions, including: → An immediate $35 million injection this year to address the workforce crisis, as recommended by the Independent Review of the NLAP. → An additional $135 million annually in community legal centres funding under the new national agreement to rectify a decade of underfunding. → An extra $95 million per year to meet the rising demand for domestic and family violence legal support. There is still an opportunity to correct the funding shortfall for legal assistance before finalising the next 5-year agreement. Learn more about the crucial need for increased funding from Community Legal Centres Australia’s media release: https://lnkd.in/gDJmMxz7 #SaveCommunityLegalCentres #CommunityLaw #FundFrontlineServices  

The Federal Government’s $3.9 billion commitment to frontline legal assistance services is a welcome step in the right direction, but it barely scratches the surface of the chronic underfunding of community legal centres. At Justice Support Centre, we supported over 13,394 people in the last financial year alone, including 11,671 women and children facing the reality of domestic and family violence. Our CEO, Melanie Noden, emphasises, “Our community is one of the fastest growing in need, with a staggering 26% increase last year. This trend shows no signs of slowing, as Western Sydney’s population is set to hit 3.2 million over the next decade—more than 10% of Australia’s total population.” While we appreciate the Commonwealth’s commitment, it is clear that urgent, meaningful action is needed to secure these vital services and ensure fair wages for the dedicated workforce behind them. The demand for legal support is escalating, and funding must urgently rise to meet this growing need. >>> Read the CLC Media Release: https://lnkd.in/gDJmMxz7 #communitylegal #funding #domesticviolence #legalsupport #justicesupportcentre #dfv

Working for justice in regional Victoria I am blessed to work in a sector full of inspirational and passionate advocates for improved justice in regional Victoria. While most of my time is spent supporting Victoria Legal Aid's 14 suburban and outer regional offices to be as sustainable and effective as possible, one of the things that I most love when travelling around the state is engaging with community legal service colleagues like those pictured from the Ballarat & Grampians Community Legal Service in Ballarat, Hume Riverina Community Legal Service in Wodonga and Emma House Warrnambool (a program of The Sexual Assault & Family Violence Centre serving Victoria's South West). What is clear from these discussions is that when one part of the legal assistance sector is under resourced, everyone is the poorer for it. Clients have reduced choice, referral systems break down, recruitment, retention and staffing mobility suffers, to name but a few of the consequences. It's not clear whether the 2024 Federal budget will deliver much needed support for legal assistance services across Australia, especially community legal services, or whether the community will need to wait for the release of the National Legal Assistance Partnership review and the government's response to drive future commitments. What is clear is that decades of underinvestment in legal assistance services has led to reduced access to justice for millions of Australians and we are all the poorer for it - kids and their parents who are parties to child protection proceedings who need representation, women fleeing family and domestic violence who need help with parenting, child support, tenancy and protection order matters, people who are in trouble with the police who should be supported to get their lives on track... Thanks to all of those terrific services out in regional and remote Australia, committed to working for justice for their communities. Let's stay in the hunt together for better resourcing to build more resilient and respectful communities. To read more about legal need and funding requirements in Australia check out these resources: CLCs Australia State of the Sector 2022–23 survey report: A sector in crisis https://lnkd.in/g3Cu77G5 National Legal Aid's Justice on the Brink report: https://lnkd.in/gsgMbF8A #accesstojustice #communitylegal #communitylegalcentres #legalaid National Legal Aid Community Legal Centres Australia Department of Justice and Community Safety, Victoria Federation of Community Legal Centres Louise Glanville Louisa Gibbs Martha Arkalis Amy Lane Narelle Laing Sarah Rodgers Ashlie Barclay

Several leading legal organisations have called on the Federal Government to deliver an urgent funding injection, ahead of a National Cabinet meeting tomorrow to address the women’s safety crisis. Today, National Legal Aid, Community Legal Centres Australia and Women's Legal Services Australia have all released statements calling on the Federal Government to invest in women’s safety and commit to increased funding for legal assistance. Women's Legal Services Australia urges governments to match community concern with funding for specialist legal help for women, seeking an additional $25 million in the upcoming Federal Budget for women’s legal services. Community Legal Centres Australia advocates for funding frontline services to combat gendered violence, stressing the need for investment in women's safety and support services. National Legal Aid calls for urgent funding to Legal Aid Commissions to address the domestic violence crisis, highlighting the need for $317 million annually to meet demand for help. https://lnkd.in/e8H-wztp

Amplifying PLEAD Project in Kenya: A case in Mandera County-Kenya The support from UNDP, through Amkeni Wakenya, has been instrumental in enabling FADC to implement the PLEAD project successfully In Mandera 2019-2022. These efforts have significantly improved the administration of justice and legal aid access in Mandera County, in line with the Legal Aid Act 2016, Kenya Vision 2030, and the Constitution of Kenya, 2010. Key Achievements Thus far: 1.   Training and Awareness: § 3,180 individuals were trained on the Legal Aid Act 2016, enhancing their understanding of their rights and access to legal justice. § 90 CSO leaders were trained on policy and legislative development, resulting in the formation of the Mandera South CSO Network (MASNET) and Lafey CSO Network (LACNET). 2.   Legal Aid Providers: § 320 legal aid providers were trained, improving legal aid access in Lafey and Mandera South sub-counties. § Networks of paralegals such as Mandera South Paralegal Network (MAPNET) and Lafey Paralegals Network (LAPNET) were established. § Legal Aid Clinics o  Over 6,500 people received legal aid services through 10 legal aid clinics. o  Three legal aid information centers were constructed in El-Wak and Lafey towns, serving over 2,856 locals. 3.   Community Training: § 420 individuals were trained in self-representation, further linked with trained legal aid providers to advance the implementation of the Legal Aid Act 2016. § 170 community leaders and elders were trained on community justice systems and alternative dispute resolution mechanisms, strengthening local peace-building efforts. 4.   Partnerships and Networking: § Seven partnership and networking workshops were held, establishing links between state and non-state actors and strengthening networks working for peace in Mandera County. 5.   Information Dissemination: § 2,000 informational materials were produced and disseminated to aid in awareness and sensitization efforts. Asante UNDP KENYA#PLEAD UNDP