From March 9-19, the United Nations held its 70th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), convening international representatives to evaluate progress towards gender equality. The theme of CSW70, “Ensuring and strengthening access to justice for all women and girls,” provided an ideal platform for the Vance Center’s Human Rights & Access to Justice Program to spotlight its ongoing work to uphold access to justice for women around the world. We collaborated with clients, partner organizations, and members of the Women in Prison Network to co-host eight events alongside CSW – almost certainly a new Vance Center record for events in one... read more
Post tagged in "access to justice"
Strengthening Pro Bono Collaboration Across the Americas: Vance Center Joins Fundación Pro Bono Chile’s 25th Anniversary
Posted on November 25, 2025Vance Center staff, representatives of Fundación Pro Bono Chile, and other attendees at the Fundación Pro Bono Chile anniversary gala in Santiago, Chile, November 20, 2025. Photo credit: Vance Center A group from the Vance Center, composed of Committee members Antonia Stolper and Todd Crider, Associate Executive Director Jaime Chávez Alor, and Pro Bono Legal Manager Pedro Villegas, traveled to Santiago in November for a week of pro bono events. These included an international seminar hosted by Fundación Pro Bono Chile, the Pro Bono Network of the Americas annual meeting, and a special celebration commemorating Fundación Pro Bono Chile’s 25th... read more
Vance Center Staff Contribute to Inaugural African Bar Association Presidents’ Summit in Kenya
Posted on October 13, 2025Panelists (L-R): Prof. Kivutha Kibwana of Daystar University; Patricia Kameri-Mbote, Director of UNEP’s Law Division; Adaobi Egboka, Director, Africa Initiatives at the Vance Center; and Maria Mbeneka, Council Member and Treasurer of the Commonwealth Lawyers Association. Photo credit: Vance Center This inaugural summit, titled “Catalyzing Environmental Rule of Law for Environmental Action in the African Region,” was organized by the Law Society of Kenya and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in partnership with the East Africa Law Society and Daystar University in Kenya. On October 8 and 9, the event brought together presidents of bar associations, jurists, academics, policymakers,... read more
Vance Center Spotlights Judicial Independence and Access to Justice During World Law Congress
Posted on May 16, 2025Vance Center Associate Executive Director Jaime Chávez Alor (left) met with representatives from Latin American judicial associations and the UN Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers (fourth from right) in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Photo credit: Vance Center Spotlight on Judicial Independence Threats and Best Practices in Latin America The Vance Center and the Federación Latinoamericana de Magistrados (FLAM) kicked off a full week of activities with a panel discussion examining the state of judicial independence across Latin America at the World Jurist Association’s World Law Congress in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The May 6 session, “Challenges... read more
Access to Justice Practitioners Gather for Immersive Training in Chile
Posted on April 29, 2024AJP practitioners and Fundación Pro Bono Chile staff during the weeklong training in Santiago, Chile, April 17, 2024. Photo: Vance Center In mid-April, AJP practitioners Maria Pía Uribe, from Lima, Peru; Ravenna Vieira of Tocantins, Brazil; and Carla Valdés, from Santiago, Chile, participated in a series of workshops with experts in pro bono legal services, non-profit organizations, law students, and law firms to expand their knowledge in public interest law, communications, and more. These practical sessions offered the practitioners an opportunity to participate, exchange experiences, hear from experts about practices and experiences in their home countries, and build critical... read more
Access to Justice Practicum Selects Lawyers from Argentina and Mexico for Third Cohort
Posted on February 27, 2025The Vance Center and Pro Bono Network of the Americas clearinghouse partners in Argentina and Mexico are pleased to announce the two lawyers selected for the third cohort of our Access to Justice Practicum. The two practitioners will work for one year with the Comisión de Trabajo Pro Bono e Interés Público (Comisión Pro Bono) and Centro Mexicano Pro Bono, respectively. Lawyers from the local pro bono clearinghouses, sponsors, and the Vance Center staff participated in the selection process, choosing the two final practitioners from 22 applicants. This year’s practitioners are Sabrina Dominguez from Argentina and Aranza Ashley Charles... read more