Asia Fair Trial Practices Roundtable
Ensuring Fair Trial Practices for Juveniles
The Asia Fair Trial Practices Roundtable is an ongoing initiative that fosters dialogue, collaboration, and innovation to enhance the fairness and effectiveness of legal systems in the region. BABSEACLE has been organizing the Asia Fair Trial Practices Roundtable series since 2023. Previous roundtables have focused on;
- Strategies for Addressing Pre-Trial Detention Roundtable (July 25, 2024)
- Promoting the Rule of Law through Fair Evidence Practice (March 21, 2024)
- Death Penalty and Serious Offences Sentence Mitigation, Strategies and Barriers (October 5, 2023)
The upcoming virtual roundtable, titled “Ensuring Fair Trial Practices for Juveniles,” will address the challenges juveniles face within the justice system. This roundtable aims to raise awareness about the critical importance of upholding the “best interest” of juveniles in legal proceedings and to explore effective strategies for ensuring that these proceedings are fair, protect their rights, and prioritize the well-being and development of young individuals.
Date: 28 November 2024
Time:
Sydney: 5:00 PM to 7:30 PM
Bangkok: 2:00 PM to 4:30 PM
Mumbai: 12:30 PM to 3:00 PM
London: 8:00 AM to 10:30 AM
Platform: Zoom Application
Session Highlights
1. Understanding Juvenile Justice: Gain a deeper understanding of the importance of juvenile justice systems and the role of legal representatives. This discussion will cover key principles, legal standards, and age-appropriate safeguards designed to protect juvenile rights, with a focus on promoting rehabilitation over punishment.
2. Upholding the “Best Interest” of Juveniles: Highlight the importance of safeguarding the best interests of juveniles in legal proceedings. Discuss and explore principles and practices designed to ensure that the justice system prioritizes the well-being, development, and rights of young individuals.
3. Identifying Challenges: Through engaging discussions and expert insights, the roundtable will identify key challenges in ensuring fair trial practices for juveniles, including issues related to developmental maturity, the quality of legal representation, confidentiality and privacy concerns, systemic biases, and the effectiveness of rehabilitation, to develop solutions to enhance fairness and uphold the rights of young individuals within the justice system.
4. Explore Effective Strategies: Explore innovative strategies to enhance juvenile justice practices. Focus on implementing these strategies across various jurisdictions by applying practical solutions that safeguard children’s rights. This includes understanding and addressing the impact of trauma, mental health issues, and other psychosocial factors in legal proceedings while considering age-appropriate approaches aligned with the developmental stages and specific rehabilitation needs of juveniles.
5. Collaboration and Knowledge Sharing: Facilitate collaboration and knowledge sharing among participants, including legal practitioners, defense lawyers, law lecturers, researchers, law society organizations, international experts, etc., to exchange best practices, lessons learned, and develop and implement sustainable solutions for advancing juvenile justice.
| Activity | Time (Bangkok Time) |
| Welcome and Introductions to the Roundtable Session Objectives | 2:00 – 2:20 pm |
| Presentation 1 – Key Strategies in Youth Advocacy: Navigating Fair Trials and Supporting Juveniles’ Rights | 2:20 – 2:40 pm |
| Presentation 2 – Juvenile Justice in Cambodia: Evolution, Challenges, and Successes | 2:40 – 3:00 pm |
| Presentation 3 – Direct Representation vs. Best Interest Representation | 3:00 – 3:20 pm |
| Presentation 4 – Fair Trial Practices for Juveniles Involved in Drug Offenses | 3:20 – 3:40 pm |
| Open Discussion | 3:40 – 4:00 pm |
| Concluding Remarks, Next Steps, Ways to be in the Fair Trial Regional Network | 4:00 – 4:30 pm |
Who Should Attend?
- Legal professionals and practitioners
- Law Journalists
- Law lecturers
- Judges
- Prosecutors
- Scholars and academics
- Researchers in the field of law and human rights
- Advocates for fair trial practices
- Civil society, NGOs, and individuals who are engaged in the work related to fair trial and pre-trial detention.
Download – Virtual Backgound
Contact:
For more information, contact BABSEACLE team at [email protected]
Previous Roundtables
Strategies for Addressing Pre-Trial Detention
25 July 2024
Promoting the Rule of Law through Fair Evidence Practice
21 March 2024
Death Penalty and Serious Offences Sentence Mitigation, Strategies and Barriers
5 October 2023