On 21 February, A4ID launched the five ‘People’ chapters of the Legal Guide to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), at a virtual event in partnership with Linklaters. The ‘People’ SDGs – or SDG 2 on Zero Hunger, SDG 3 on Good Health & Well-Being, SDG 4 on Quality Education, SDG 5 on Gender Equality, SDG 6 on Clean Water & Sanitation – bring together cross-cutting issues of access, fairness and equality that are intrinsically human-centric. This blog provides an overview of the event and the discussions and ideas that were shared.
The Queen’s 2022 New Year Honours List included Yasmin Batliwala for her services in the area of Human Rights, Rule of Law and International Development.
As part of its Responsible Business Programme, A4ID in partnership with EALS (East Africa Law Society) is organising a series of webinars that aims at building the capacity of lawyers in East Africa to support businesses in upholding responsible business practices. Working in collaboration with national bar associations, global leading law firms and other stakeholders from East Africa, A4ID seeks to create awareness among commercial lawyers and in-house counsel on the international legal framework they can rely on.
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to bring challenges to justice around the world, an event that took place, despite challenges is the Asia Pro Bono Conference in September 2020. Now in its ninth year the Conference launched as the Inaugural Asia Pro Bono Virtual Conference (APBVC) and Access to Justice Exchange. The Conference hosted 40 sessions across a vast variety of topics including the immigrant crisis, the state of vulnerable populations, xenophobia, human rights and labour laws. The 5-day Conference was attended by over 1,000 people, with more than 212,000 individual session accesses through social media.
The COVID-19 pandemic has presented many challenges for charity and non-profit landlords and tenants within the UK. The restrictions implemented by the UK government’s lockdown have had a widespread impact on revenue streams, particularly those generated through public donations and fundraisers, resulting in many tenants seeking to agree some sort of financial relief from landlords. The following update offers guidance for both third sector tenants and landlords during these uncertain times.
A4ID’s Legal Clinic provides an opportunity for NGOs, international development charities, and social enterprises working in human rights or international development to discuss any legal questions or areas of potential concern with a dedicated team of lawyers from our key Legal Partners.
On 17 September, Advocates for International Development (A4ID), the Bingham Centre for the Rule of Law at the British Institute of International and Comparative Law, and the University of Edinburgh Global Health Academy jointly delivered a high-level virtual event to highlight the close links between authorities’ responses to health crises and the rule of law.
Given the enormous challenge faced by companies and other entities, including charities and development organisations, in the wake of the public health measures adopted to protect against the COVID-19 pandemic, the UK government has taken certain measures to assist companies with their tax bills. The following update sets out the most relevant UK tax measures that have been implemented, in particular: (i) available tax relief options (such as business rates relief) and (ii) the deferral of Value Added Tax (VAT) payments. The update also includes information on the deferral of income tax payments and the use of Her Majesty’s Revenue & Customs (HMRC) ‘Time to Pay Service’.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, most countries across the world have enforced some form of ‘lockdown’ and, as a result, the daily ‘normal’ has been significantly altered. Charities and social enterprise operations may have been temporarily ordered to close or to operate with reduced workforces. These organisations are also vulnerable to a number of other challenges, whether it be the cancellation of events or grant funding. As the pandemic endures, operations and supply chains around the world have been disrupted, with organisations experiencing delays and outright failures to perform.
On 8 April 2020, the UK government announced a £750 million package to support UK charitable organisations through the COVID-19 crisis. On 12 April 2020, the government made a further announcement, making an additional £200 million available for UK and international charities focusing on overcoming the pandemic. Government departments are currently working on identifying priority recipients of such funds, with the aim for organisations to receive the funds in the coming weeks. This update provides details on the various packages available to charities, social enterprises and development organisations during the COVID-19 crisis, although this will be under review and subject to further updates as more information is released.
As a consequence of COVID-19, many small and medium-sized social enterprises in the UK are facing significant financial uncertainty and, in some cases, a sudden liquidity shortfall. In recognition of the unique challenges that are facing enterprises, and to help navigate this difficult landscape, the government has introduced a programme of financial support with a view to providing short-term stability during this period of economic uncertainty.
A survey by the National Lottery Heritage Fund found that “around a third of charity/third sector organisations and around a third of community and voluntary groups said they could not exist beyond July.” The COVID-19 pandemic has sadly made this the new norm. For many organisations, insolvency is now of real concern and so understanding the changing insolvency landscape is key.
Corporate governance is one of the areas that has come under the spotlight as charities face unprecedented challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In this update we are looking at duties and potential liabilities of charity trustees under UK law; considerations around holding of meetings remotely; decisions to use reserves and restricted funds in the current crisis; and at developing risk management policies to deal with the current challenges.
Changes to charity and social enterprise operations during lockdown periods will likely impact on your ability to comply with data protection regulations. The UK’s Information Commissioners Office (ICO) has indicated it will adopt a pragmatic approach in undertaking its regulatory duties. The following update provides some tips on measures that can be put in place to manage your organisation’s legal risks.
Saturday 25 January 2020 saw the launch of A4ID’s Law and Development Training Programme with the opening module: ‘Harnessing the Law to Eradicate Poverty’.
An interview with Commissioner Jedidah Wakonyo Waruhiu of the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights.
On the 28th November 2019, Yasmin Batliwala joined an illustrious panel of political, business and legal leaders at the CMS Office in London to discuss how the further inclusion of people with disabilities could be achieved across all industries.
Yasmin Batliwala, A4ID’s Chief Executive, joined Lady Hale of Richmond, President of the Supreme Court of the UK, and a panel of experts at Chatham House on 28 October 2019 to mark the launch of the Lancet-O’Neil Institute Commission on Global Health and Law’s report on ‘The legal determinants of health: harnessing the power of law for global health and sustainable development’.
During September 2019, A4ID launched the first of a regular series of Global Development Legal Clinics* in partnership with Latham & Watkins LLP.
A4ID recently held two legal trainings on compliance issues that are currently very pertinent to the development sector: ‘Bribery and Corruption’ and ‘Sanctions, Risks and Compliance for NGOs’.
A4ID is pleased to announce a partial scholarship for self-funded applicants.
A4ID’s Module 2 of the Law and Development Training Programme, on Finance and Development, is open for bookings.
Yasmin Batliwala was invited to speak at the UN Global Forum on Business and Human Rights at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland this year.
A4ID’s Chief Executive, Yasmin Batliwala, will speak at the UN Global Forum on Business and Human Rights 2017 at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland on 28 November 2017.
On Friday 10 November 2017, The Claridges Hotel in New Delhi, India, A4ID will convene business, legal and academic leaders for discussion on developments in business and human rights in India and abroad with a focus on company leadership in operationalising Pillar II (respect for human rights) and Pillar III (access to remedy) of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.
The contemporary global network of pro bono Human Rights lawyers dedicated to assisting individuals in some of the poorest regions in the world is at its greatest level of sophistication in history.
The 2017 PILnet Global Forum, taking place in Budapest, Hungary from 16-19 October, has at its core an ambitious initiative familiar to A4ID: to “reclaim law as a force of good”.
A4ID is delighted to announce two of their Development Partners—founder of the Human Rights Law Network, Colin Gonsalves and Senior Inclusion Advisor of the Light for the World, Yetnebersh Nigussie—have been named Laureates of the 2017 Right Livelihood Award.
Chief Executive Yasmin Batliwala is delighted to have been invited to sit on a newly established panel to ‘promote and coordinate’ lawyers’ voluntary efforts.
A4ID is delighted to be working in partnership East Africa Law Society (EALS) to provide training and workshops on business and human rights for lawyers in Uganda and Tanzania. On this occasion Allen and Overy (A&O), are providing their expertise pro bono in delivering training in these workshops.
A4ID has partnered with the premier regional Bar Association in East Africa, the East Africa Law Society (EALS) to run professional development workshops on the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs), which set out the international standards on businesses’ responsibility to respect human rights.
A4ID has launched a peer to peer network for lawyers in India, Kenya and in international firms to connect with each other and exchange knowledge, experiences and materials on the growing and increasingly important field of Business and Human Rights.
A4ID is proud to welcome Trowers & Hamlins as a legal partner. Trowers & Hamlins LLP is an international law firm with offices throughout the UK, Middle East and Asia.
Development organisations can benefit from a free online assessment of their legal needs.
A4ID participates in the OECD Policy Dialogue on Natural Resource-Based Development in Paris.
One of the most remarkable developments in the field of law over the past decade has been the rapid growth of pro bono in Europe and increasingly around the globe.
A4ID is delighted to announce that we are now working with 700 development partners around the world.
Three international US law firms, Milbank, Sullivan & Cromwell, and Winston & Strawn have joined A4ID as legal partners.
On 4 August 2016, A4ID’s Deputy Head of Partnerships and Legal Services, Joe Tan, was invited to attend an innovation retreat at Oxford University’s Said Business School as a Legal Advisor for ELHRA Humanitarian Innovation Fund’s ‘Accelerating the Journey to Scale’ Initiative.
On 18 October 2016 A4ID launched its free e-learning resources on English defamation law for advocacy and campaigning organisations at Matrix Chambers.
The UN’s Sustainable Development Goal to “end poverty in all its forms everywhere” understands that poverty is a result of many different factors.
A4ID is currently looking for student contributors for our new Law and Development Student Blog.
On Friday 7 October 2016 A4ID delivered its Business and Human Rights Programme in Kenya.
A4ID’s Law & Development Training Programme starts next month!
A4ID recently launched its Business and Human Rights Programme in Kenya. To open this programme A4ID welcomed two high profile guests from the fields of law and business in Kenya.
Yasmin Batliwala, A4ID Chief Executive, speaks at the International Bar Association’s 2016 Annual Conference in Washington D.C. on the importance of proactive participation of the global legal community in achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SGDs).
On 16-17 September 2016 A4ID delivered training on the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights to Indian commercial lawyers in partnership with Clifford Chance and Weil Gotshal & Manges.
On 15 September 2016 A4ID held a dinner for partners from leading Indian law firms to discuss Business and Human Rights, with guest speaker, Dr Surya Deva, Asia-Pacific Representative on the UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights.
Chief Executive Yasmin Batliwala discusses the Sustainable Development Goals and calls on the legal industry to assist in achieving these in The Times Law Brief.
Our CEO, Yasmin Baltiwala, comments on the A4ID’s role in achieving the UN sustainable development goals.
A4ID have joined the UN Global Compact, the world’s largest corporate sustainability initiative. The UN Global Compact is the platform for business to act on global goals to advance the SDGs through their operations, innovations and partnerships.
In honour of Human Rights Day, A4ID CEO Yasmin Batliwala said:
After a great summer in Canary Wharf, thanks to our warm hosts Clifford Chance, A4ID is moving.
Following the formal introduction of the Sustainable Development Goals at the UN Sustainable Development Summit, Yasmin Batliwala, CEO of Advocates for International Development (A4ID) said:
Autumn Adeigbo told A4ID about the inspiration behind MAKOKO and described what it took to make her dream a reality…
A4ID has written to the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon urging him to include a goal focussed on promoting good governance and the Rule of Law in the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.
Our CEO Yasmin Batliwala received Woman of Achievement 2014 Category Award for Public Sector from the prestigious Women in the City.
A4ID’s CEO spoke at Tokyo Annual Conference of the 2014 International Bar Association.
A4ID has recently launched its new Legal Health Check tool for international development organisations, designed to promote a better, more in-depth understanding of their legal needs, and thus helping them in their fight against global poverty and injustice.
A4ID has been nominated for two Law Society Excellence Awards categories: Excellence in International Legal Services and Excellence in Pro Bono.
UK lawyers working through international pro bono charity Advocates for International Development (A4ID) have provided vital assistance to a Cambodian human rights charity working to provide legal protection to LGBT people in the country.
A joint response to the UK Government’s consultation on plans to restrict charities’ ability to bring cases to judicial review has called for the Government to abandon the proposals.
Advocates for International Development (A4ID), the charity that brokers pro bono legal advice for the international development sector, this month reached a new milestone in its mission to support the fight against global poverty through the law.
