Kolisetty, Akhila2014-04-012014-04-012014-01https://hdl.handle.net/10986/17563This paper examines the current status of justice and dispute-resolution mechanisms in Bangladesh, ranging from the formal justice system to the traditional shalish (a form of dispute resolution), and focuses on the costs and benefits of utilizing nongovernmental organization (NGO)-led legal services programs as an alternative form of justice delivery and dispute resolution for the poor, with a focus on women and girls. In particular, this paper takes a closer look at a the Human Rights and Legal Aid Services (HRLS) program of BRAC, a leading NGO that works to empower the poorest and most vulnerable in Bangladesh and eleven other countries across the world. HRLS provides a combination of Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee (BRAC)-led shalish, human rights community based education, community mobilization through a corps of community-based outreach workers (known as shebikas), and recourse to the courts via a network of panel lawyers if needed. This paper will examine the successes of this model in rural Bangladesh as well as the challenges it faces in making an impact on solving the justice problems of the poor and contributing to gender equity. Ultimately, it aims to present a case study that illustrates the strengths and challenges of a legal empowerment model that is quickly gaining traction around the world.en-USCC BY 3.0 IGOACCESS TO JUSTICEACCESS TO LANDACCESS TO LEGAL SERVICESACCOUNTABILITYACTIONSACTSADRADVOCACYAGRICULTURAL SECTORALIMONYALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTIONASIAN DEVELOPMENT BANKASSETSAUTHORITYBRIBEBRIBESCITIZENSHIPCIVIL LAWSCIVIL PROCEDURECIVIL SOCIETYCIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONSCOMPENSATIONCOMPLAINTCOMPLAINTSCOMPROMISESCONSTITUTIONAL LAWCORRUPTCORRUPTIONCOURTCOURTSCRIMECRIME CONTROLCRIMESCRIMINALCRIMINAL JUSTICECRIMINAL LAWCUSTOMSDEMOCRACIESDEMOCRACYDISADVANTAGED GROUPSDISCRIMINATIONDISCRIMINATION AGAINST WOMENDIVORCEDIVORCED WOMENDIVORCESDOMESTIC ABUSEDOMESTIC VIOLENCEEMPOWERMENTEQUAL OPPORTUNITIESEX-HUSBANDEX-WIFEEXTRAMARITAL RELATIONSFAMILIESFAMILY LAWFAMILY LAWSFATWASFEMALEGENDERGENDER EQUITYGOVERNMENT OFFICIALSHINDU LAWHOMEHUMAN RIGHTSHUMAN RIGHTS ABUSESHUMAN RIGHTS EDUCATIONHUMAN RIGHTS LAWSHUMAN RIGHTS STANDARDSHUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONSHUMAN TRAFFICKINGHUSBANDHUSBANDSIMPLEMENTATION OF LAWSIMPRISONMENTINDIVIDUAL RIGHTSINFORMAL DISPUTE RESOLUTIONINHERITANCEINHERITANCE LAWINITIATIVEINJUSTICEINJUSTICESINTERNATIONAL LAWINVESTIGATIONISLAMIC LAWJUDGEJUDGESJUDICIAL PROCESSJUDICIAL REMEDYJUDICIAL SERVICEJUDICIARYJUSTICELAND DISPUTESLAW ENFORCEMENTLAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIESLAW LIBRARIESLAWSLAWYERLAWYERSLEGAL AIDLEGAL ASSISTANCELEGAL CHALLENGESLEGAL EDUCATIONLEGAL ISSUESLEGAL LITERACYLEGAL REMEDIESLEGAL REPRESENTATIONLEGAL RIGHTLEGAL RIGHTSLEGAL SERVICESLEGAL STATUSLEGISLATIONLIBERATIONLITERACYLITIGATIONLOCAL LEGAL AIDMARITAL PROPERTYMARRIAGESMARRIED WOMENMEDIAMEDIATIONMEDIATORSMUSLIM WOMENOFFENCESOFFENDERSOFFENSEPOLICEPOSSESSIONPRISONSPROFESSIONALSPROPERTY RIGHTSPROSECUTIONPROSECUTORSRAPERELIGIONRELIGIOUS FREEDOMRELIGIOUS LEADERSRESIDENCERIGHTRIGHTS OF WOMENRULE OF LAWRURAL WOMENSERVICE DELIVERYSEXUAL HARASSMENTSOCIAL CHANGESPOUSAL VIOLENCESUMMARIESTHEFTTRIALSVICTIMSVIOLATIONSVIOLENCE AGAINST WOMENWIFEWILLWIVESWOMANWOMEN'S RIGHTS10.1596/17563