MLAA Profile

Profile of MLAA

Introduction

Since the emergence of Bangladesh as a new nation, significant deterioration in the rule of law and the human rights situation has been apparent. Seeking justice becomes particularly difficult for the vast majority of poor and disadvantage people, especially women. A small group of dedicated lawyers & social workers took initiative to offer free legal assistance to the indigent in the formal judicial courts. Their efforts proved successful and led the group to formally float the Madaripur Legal Aid Association- MLAA in March 1978.MLAA_Head_Office

 Established: March 1978

Legal Status: Registered NGO AB no-055, Dated: 22.04.81

Beneficiaries

Primary Beneficiaries: Disadvantage & poor people, particularly of the rural area and especially of female and children stratum are the primary beneficiaries.

 Secondary Beneficiaries: UP representatives, students, teachers, village elites, women leaders, rural civil society members, journalists, lawyers, judicial officials, law enforcing agencies and NGO activists.

Working Area

Districts: 16 (Madaripur, Gopalganj, Shariatpur, Barisal, Pirujpur, Faridpur, Rajbari, Jessor Munshiganj, Gazipur, Sirajganj, Mymensing, Jamalpur, Netrokon,  Thakurgaon & Panchagar)

International Affiliation

  • Asian Forum For Human Rights & Development- FORUM ASIA, Bangkok
  • Penal Reform International-PRI,UK

 Governance: MLAA run by a General Committee consists of 53 members drawn from the civil society. The General Committee elects 15 members Executive Committee of the organization. The secretary acts as the chief executive.  The board provides guidance to management on the strategic direction of the organization by monitoring and overseeing management action in utilization of organization resources to achieve its Mission and Vision.

Resources:

a) Training and Resource Centre (TARC):  MLAA has a large training centre (two storied academic building, two storied male dormitory and three storied female dormitory), which provides all facilities related to training.  MLAA has also a large training Centre-Cum-Office in Shariatpur, which provides all facilities related to training. Read More…

b) Training Materials and Module: MLAA developed several resource materials on legal aid, mediation and human rights, which are using as training materials and also using to disseminate and transmission of knowledge. MLAA’s training module are using as a resources to conduct different training session.

c) Trainers: To conduct different types of training MLAA has a panel of 14 trainers with knowledge and skill in specific field.

d) Library: The beginning of the library, MLAA belongs to, synchronizes the emergence of the organization itself. The preference mainly goes all out to the collection pertaining to law, reference book of law, research works and so. However, the library also encompasses other categories like Social Science, History, Biography, research works and novels of prominent writers of home and abroad. In addition to that, the organization, MLAA, has its own publication and research works on informal justice system which has widened the scope for acquiring significant knowledge in this niche. Read More…

 Values : MLAA believes in integrity, justice, governance, and accountability in the way it works with oppressed, vulnerable and deprived people. MLAA recognizes, respects and upholds equality and equity among women and men.

Vision : A just society where rule of law and human rights is upheld.

Mission : MLAA will strive to ensure access to justice and legal rights for all people irrespective of sex, cast, creed, religion, sexual orientation, race and those affected by HIV/AIDs through the informal justice processes and formal justice system.

Goal: Access to justice increased for empowerment of disadvantaged people, particularly women & children.

Main Objective: Access to Justice increased empowerment of disadvantaged people, particularly women & Children. Since 1978 Madaripur Legal Aid Association (MLAA) has developed sustainable programs that address the greatest challenges with formal and informal justice system in Bangladesh..

Activities :

 Provide Free Legal Aid Services: Disadvantaged, hard-core poor, particularly women who are deprived from access to justice are identified for free legal aid support; follow-up strategy is undertaken to monitor the implementation of the verdict of the court; provide legal advice and Free Legal Aid Services;; provide medical support for injured victim and travel support for clients.

Dispute Resolution through Mediation: MLAA has developed a modern and professional approach to mediation, currently known as the Madaripur Mediation Model (MMM).

Activating UP judicial system (Village Court & Arbitration Council): The Village Court Ordinance 2006 entrusts the Union Parishad with the power to constitute Village Court (VC) to resolve petty civil and criminal disputes. On the other hand the Muslim Family Law Ordinance 1961 obligates the UP Chairman to formulate Arbitration Council (AC) to handle certain family law matters.

To activate this local justice system MLAA Provide training and technical support to the UP representatives to run the Village Courts effectively.  Organize Workshop, meeting, courtyard meeting   with local GOB officials, UP representatives and local elites to make them aware about the AC/VC functions,

Human Rights Education: With an aim to promote and protect human rights MLAA provides education on human rights through conducting  training and awareness raising workshops.

Advocacy and Networking: MLAA’s advocacy cell conducts different studies and research on present judiciary related problems and human rights violation issues. The findings of those studies and research are shared among the relevant agencies through meetings, seminars, workshops and round table conferences with an aim to influence policies

Institutional capacity building: MLAA has been conducting various capacity building activities like training, workshop, orientation programme and exposure visit with its different stakeholders towards achieving objectives of the different projects in the organization.

Monitoring & Evaluation: MLAA emphasizes the critical role of M&E to enhance efficiency of its programs. For this purpose monitoring cell has been standardized through computerization of data storing and retrieval system. Personnel have been trained in various research techniques such as FGD, framing of questionnaires and conducting interviews.

Ongoing Projects: