GAP Legal clinic "law and public actions" seminar: contributing to the access to justice of young people with intellectual

"El acceso a la justicia es un derecho fundamental, que se constituye en garantía de otros derechos. No obstante, son diversas las barreras que limitan su ejercicio; la falta de conocimiento sobre los derechos propios y sobre los mecanismos a través de los cuales se pueden proteger es uno de los primeros obstáculos que enfrentan las personas, particularmente aquellas tradicionalmente discriminadas por ser parte de grupos étnicos, por su orientación sexual o por condiciones de discapacidad como uno entre tantos ejemplos en los que se niega el acceso a la justicia. Para superar este obstáculo, el movimiento legal clínico propone el uso de la estrategia conocida como street law, que brinda herramientas para el acceso a la justicia a través de la pedagogía en derechos. El objetivo de este artículo es mostrar y evaluar los resultados de la experiencia del Grupo de Acciones Públicas utilizando el street law con jóvenes con discapacidad intelectual, a partir del diseño e implementación del curso “Seminario de Derechos y Acciones Públicas” (en adelante, seminario), un mecanismo replicable para aportar en el mejoramiento del acceso a la justicia de grupos vulnerables a los que se hará referencia a lo largo del texto. Medimos los resultados de este ejercicio con entrevistas semiestructuradas, realizadas en grupos focales con los jóvenes destinatarios del seminario. Los resultados finales son favorables y demuestran la importancia y eficacia de estas estrategias de acceso a la justicia.""Access to justice is a fundamental right, which constitutes a guarantee of other rights. However, the barriers that limit theirs exercise are diverse. Lack of knowledge about their own rights and the mechanisms through which they can be protected is one of the first obstacles that people, particularly those traditionally discriminated against because they are part of ethnic groups for their sexual orientation or because of conditions of disability as one of many examples in which access to justice is denied. To overcome this obstacle, the legal clinic movement proposes the use of the strategy known as street law, which provides tools for access to justice through pedagogy in rights. The objective of this paper is to show and evaluate the results of Grupo de Acciones Públicas’ (GAP) experience using street law with young people with intellectual disabilities, based on the design and implementation of the course “Seminar on Law and Public Actions”, a replicable mechanism for Access to justice is a undamental right, which constitutes a guarantee of other rights. However, the barriers that limit theirs exercise are diverse. Lack of knowledge about their own rights and the mechanisms through which they can be protected is one of the first obstacles that people, particularly those traditionally discriminated against because they are part of ethnic groups for their sexual orientation or because of conditions of disability as one of many examples in which access to justice is denied. To overcome this obstacle, the legal clinic movement proposes the use of the strategy known as street law, which provides tools for access to justice through pedagogy in rights. The objective of this paper is to show and evaluate the results of Grupo de Acciones Públicas’ (GAP) experience using street law with young people with intellectual disabilities, based on the design and implementation of the course “Seminar on Law and Public Actions”, a replicable mechanism for contribute to improving access to justice for vulnerable groups. We measured the results of this exercise with semi-structured interviews, carried out in focus groups with the young recipients of the seminar. The final results are favorable and demonstrate the importance and effectiveness of these strategies for access to justice.