Justice in Action

The Justice in Action Pro Bono Sprint is a community day of action that brings together volunteers from different entities to work together on substantive pro bono projects. You will have the opportunity to work on projects under key areas that need advocacy:

• Children's rights are human rights
• Equity and opportunity for vulnerable populations
• Strengthening justice systems and communities

All work related to the Sprint is conducted during the Sprint. Volunteers are trained at the start of the session and then divided into small teams to work on specific assignments. The volunteers wrap their work after three hours, then come together to reflect on the substantive legal work.

Register below to join or email us if you'd like to be added to our distribution list.

Projects

ENDING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE – A Violation of Human Rights: Updating Our Fight for the Safety of Girls and Women
(APAC, Americas and EMEA)

Violence against women and girls is the most widespread human rights violation globally. A movement of women’s organizations advocate for strengthened and concerted international action through a new Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). Following a project we completed in 2022, we published a resource evaluating the state of systems that address domestic, sexual and intimate partner violence across the world in service to global campaign to secure a specific, binding international framework tailored to the complexities of gender-based violence. In this project, we are updating it to measure whether countries are meeting the expectations of a potential Optional Protocol that would make domestic and intimate partner violence a violation of human rights. This project will help set the stage for this campaign by evaluating systems across the world.

For the benefit of Every Woman Treaty

SEEKING SUPPORT THROUGH GENDER-AFFIRMING CARE: Examining Laws for Children and Families of Many Nations
(APAC, Americas and EMEA)

In recognition of Pride Month

Children pursuing medical, physical, emotional and mental health support for their transgender identity is not unique to any country. Lambda Legal and its international partners want to help educate children and parents about whether other countries have made laws or are considering making laws expanding the prevention of gender-affirming care. Volunteers will examine the laws of different countries to determine whether this is the current state of the law and whether there are current efforts to change the law to accommodate this point of view.

For the benefit of Lambda Legal and the International Center for Justice Alliance

SHINING A LIGHT ON DISABILITY INCLUSION: Status of Disability and Employment Laws Around the World
(APAC and EMEA)

Ending disability exclusion is essential to supporting an inclusive work environment because it ensures that all employees, regardless of their abilities, have equal opportunities to contribute and thrive, fostering a diverse and innovative workplace. Working with Valuable 500, we are creating a global legal index analyzing disability and employment legislation. Working in teams, you will research employment laws impacting disability inclusion for targeted jurisdictions. The goals of this index are to create awareness and understanding of the legislative context in countries across the world for the partner organizations of the Valuable 500, to ensure quicker progress towards taking actions to improve disability inclusion.

For the benefit of Valuable 500

AND JUSTICE FOR ALL: Tackling Inequities in the Youth Justice System
(Americas)

In honor of Juneteenth

The ongoing racial disparities in the United States youth justice system need re-examination if we are to secure a fair and equitable criminal justice system for all children. Inequities for children are profound. Indeed, though black youth make up only 15% of the overall youth population in the US, they are 31% of all children arrested and 40-60% of those in some form of youth detention and placement in different years of the last decade. In fact, in some states, black youth are 10 times more likely to be held in placement compared to white youth. Research to tackle these inequities is needed for every US state to better understand the causes and devise solutions. In this project, volunteers will examine data on disproportionate racial impacts on youth in the justice system, details on the processes that implement these systems, and the laws that structure these results.

For the benefit of Gault Center for Youth Justice

We have been recognized as a 2023 Corporate Pro Bono (CPBO) Partner Awardee for work undertaken through its Justice In Action initiative, alongside a host of corporate clients, who share Baker McKenzie’s commitment to social justice.