All Villages and Wards in Indonesia Now Have Legal Aid Posts
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Minister of Law and Human Rights, Supratman Andi Agtas, stated that all villages and wards in Indonesia’s 38 provinces now have Legal Aid Posts (Posbankum).
He said that Posbankum should be viewed as an ecosystem of mutual cooperation for resolving disputes in the community by prioritizing restorative justice.
“This is where the vital role of village and ward heads as peace judges or mediators in their respective villages lies,” said Supratman at the inauguration of Posbankum in Manado, North Sulawesi, Thursday, as confirmed in Jakarta, Thursday.
Through Posbankum, he added, the role of village and ward heads is strengthened as mediators or peace judges in their respective areas.
He added that trained paralegals will provide legal information, facilitate initial mediation, and connect the community with accredited Legal Aid Organizations (OPBH) if needed.
Supratman assessed that the strengthening of Posbankum in North Sulawesi is aimed at expanding the resolution of disputes through a restorative justice approach.
Moreover, he continued, the people of North Sulawesi are known for the noble philosophy of Sam Ratulangi, namely “Sitou Timou Tumou Tou”, which means that humans live to humanize others.
“This is a moral foundation that is in line with the spirit of establishing Posbankum,” he said.
In addition, he said that with the spirit of “Torang Samua Basudara”, it is believed that Posbankum is present to realize harmony in social relations that lead to justice in the community, including for poor and vulnerable communities.
Meanwhile, the Governor of North Sulawesi Province, Yulius Selvanus, said that Posbankum helps the community resolve legal problems quickly.
“If it cannot be resolved at the initial level, then the handling will be carried out in stages according to the provisions,” said Yulius at the same event.
According to him, Posbankum is very helpful for the people of North Sulawesi, especially the less able people who face legal problems, such as domestic violence, abuse, to industrial relations.
The Head of the Regional Office of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights for North Sulawesi, Hendrik Pagiling, reported that all Posbankum in North Sulawesi have been running and can be monitored through the service reporting application.
To date, more than 1,084 service reports have been received and the number continues to increase.
He explained that capacity building is also continuously being carried out. Throughout 2025, as many as 568 paralegals have been trained, followed by 289 participants in early 2026, and as many as 3,678 paralegals are scheduled to attend advanced training.
“This step is expected to ensure that legal services are provided professionally and with integrity,” said Hendrik.
The Ministry of Law inaugurated 1,839 Village and Ward Posbankum in 15 districts/cities throughout North Sulawesi on this occasion.
With the presence of Village and Ward Posbankum in North Sulawesi, it is hoped that the community will more easily obtain assistance and solutions to the legal problems they face, so that justice is truly felt close and provides real benefits for daily life.