So. African legal centre develops community engagement policy to 'facilitate meaningful representation, mitigate power imbalances'
'Community Engagement Policy by the Centre for Applied Legal Studies', April 2014: A…distinct hallmark of the work…of…lawyers in the human rights sector is that much of it…[is] in partnership with, and on behalf of…communities...[E]xisting professional codes of conduct regulating the attorney-client relationship do not provide the framework in which to address the particular challenges that arise in the context of community lawyering. For this reason, CALS is developing a policy document to guide its staff in navigating this unique working relationship by articulating a standard of community engagement that facilitates meaningful representation and partnerships and mitigates power imbalances. The community engagement policy...set[s] out guiding principles drawing on international standards and the personal experiences of CALS staff. To implement these guiding principles, a set of working methodologies informed by case studies has been developed. The policy is...a living document...responsive to...on-going engagement with communities and critical self-reflection regarding that engagement...