TAWAU: The Women’s Legal Aid Centre under the Sabah Women’s Affairs Department (Jhewa) has assisted over 200 women across the State since its inception in 2018 until October this year.
The Centre’s lawyer, Noor Azah Abd Rahman, said, most of the clients are individuals who came to their Legal Clinic which was opened during Jhewa’s programmes or seminars.
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“Every year the government allocates funds for us and we give priority to handling women’s cases, while the rest are used to run programmes or seminars,” she said, here, Thursday.
She said their main task is to provide legal advice and court representation services for women who are qualified or who meets the criteria in accordance with their Standard Operating Procedure.
She said among criteria given priority to are single mothers, low income and underprivileged women in the B40 group who aren’t able to pay legal fees (the fees will be fully borne by the government).
As for legal advice, she said, the centre is open to both men and women, however the main requirement for those seeking legal representation services in court is to local women with low income.
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“Sometimes we give exemption to women whose cases have gone unsettled for years… such cases can be considered if they don’t have lawyers,” she said.
Cases dealt with include matrimonial or domestic cases such as marriage and divorce, divorce claims, inheritance claims, and child custody, among others, regardless of race and religion of the client.
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The Centre does not handle criminal cases.
She said the Centre has a panel of 10 lawyers appointed by Jhewa and cases which are received and approved will be divided among the panels involved in handling it.
On Jhewa’s plans to open a centre in the east coast, she said there are currently no plans but it is up to the government to see the need in the future.
She said they are concerned about divorce rates involving the younger generation in the east coast.
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According to her, the Syariah Court has started referring clients to them for help, while those in rural areas will be contacted by telephone, which includes gathering their statements through such communication if they aren’t able to go to Kota Kinabalu.
She advises women experiencing domestic problems and have no solution to the matter to contact them at 088-236110 or through their website, adding that services are free.
