Latifah Anum Siregar, INDONESIA

About Latifah

Latifah obtained her Master’s in Criminal Law from Universitas Cenderawasih in Jayapura and is the Director of the Democratic Alliance for Papua. She is dedicated to ensuring the human rights of women and children in Papua, where the state fails to provide protection and civil society groups face limitations due to security threats, financial difficulties, and challenges accessing resources in rural areas.

The Challenge

Several factors limit the accused’s access to justice and the assurance that their rights are upheld. For example, the accused may be unaware of their rights, and examining law enforcement officials may discourage them from seeking a lawyer by claiming that legal representation is too expensive. Authorities might also intimidate, torture, or otherwise coerce the accused without providing a proper explanation of the case or the legal process. In remote areas far from legal aid and other civil society resources, the accused are more likely to follow the suggestions of law enforcement officials.

The Innovation: “Legal Assistance and Strengthening Access to Justice for the Community”

Latifah’s project aimed to increase the number of cases investigated, advocated for, and monitored by legal professionals and to assist more justice-seekers through litigation or settlement. Its broader goal was to protect the rights of women and children, indigenous people, and the economically disadvantaged, while enhancing cooperation among civil society groups working to enforce human rights in Papua.

Latifah launched her project by hosting meetings in two districts for paralegals working with women in conflict with the law, providing support to these paralegals in offering legal advice to clients. During the project, 49 women and children received pro bono legal consultations related to sexual violence and children in conflict with the law. A legal consultation session at the Children’s Prison in Bate Kab Keerom was attended by at least 500 individuals affected by these issues, and Latifah and her team conducted 20 monitoring visits to detention facilities. Additionally, Latifah organized several rights awareness events attended by student communities, indigenous youth, and residents of vulnerable housing communities. These events are estimated to have reached an additional 1,000 individuals.