Bar Co-operation Programme

The Bar Issues Commission aims to provide bar associations with the facility to seek out mutual support from each other through its ‘Bar cooperation programme’. The idea is to enable bar associations to seek help through the BIC and be linked to other bar associations who can help with a particular issue or provide additional resources for support. 

If a request is outside of the support that bar associations could offer collectively, it may be referred to the IBA's Human Rights Institute (HRI) which may be able to  provide long-term support, offering assistance in capacity building to Bars in developing countries. 

As mentioned, the Bar Cooperation Programme is supported by the BIC through connecting one or more bars together who can provide mutual support and training.   Types of issues addressed by this cooperation can include continuing legal education, codes of ethics, resources required by bar associations and developing robust complaints and discipline handling procedures.