ID: HR19-1261

Presenting author: Albert Wirya

Presenting author biography:

Researcher in LBH Masyarakat (Community Legal Aid Institute) with interests in human rights, drug policy, HIV, criminal justice system, and mental health.

Investigating the potential of a paralegal program to realize improve access to drugs and the right to health for key populations in Jakarta, Indonesia

Albert Wirya, Sofia Gruskin, Ajeng Larasati, Ricky Gunawan, Laura Ferguson

Background
Since 2008, the Community Legal Aid Institute (LBHM) has run a community-based paralegal program to empower communities and improve access to justice among key populations in Jakarta, Indonesia. Many paralegals are recruited from harm reduction networks or services, with the expectation that they can become the ‘first aid’, both in terms of health and law, when their community members enter the criminal justice system. This study assessed how these paralegals contribute to fulfilling their communities’ right to health, especially within the legal system.

Methodology
In 2016, a quantitative survey was administered to LBHM-trained paralegals and semi-structured interviews were carried out with a sub-set of paralegals. Quantitative data were analysed using SPSS. Qualitative data were analysed thematically.

Results
Paralegals play a critical role in improving access to health for community members in detention. Around three quarters report checking clients’ health in police offices, detention centers, and prison. When clients require access to treatment, paralegals request the legal system to refer them to health facilities and the success rate is between 50% and 75%. Around half of paralegals reported delivering medicine, including methadone and antiretrovirals, in police detention, detention center and prison, usually through liaising between health workers and police. Some paralegals also succeeded in helping drug users to obtain sentences of rehabilitation rather than imprisonment.

Conclusion
LBHM’s paralegal network offers a model for assisting clients with critical health and HIV-related needs through collaboration with detainees’ families, law enforcement agencies, lawyers and health-care workers that puts the rights and health of the client front and center in all interactions. Community-based paralegals play a key role in offering legal, health and other support to key populations as they are distinct from and not reliant on political parties or the politics of the day.