DJIBOUTI ANALYSIS OF BOTTLNECKS IN THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM

BRIEF PROJECT HISTORY: On December 6, 1990, the Republic of Djibouti became one of the first countries in the world to ratify the Convention on the Rights of the Child. With the country’s expressed desire to strengthen child protection services and improve children’s well-being and development, the Department of Justice, with support from UNICEF, called upon the IBCR’s technical expertise to analyse the obstacles within Djibouti’s juvenile justice system. For this analysis, three missions were carried out to Djibouti in 2015.

GOALS:

Provide an overview of Djibouti’s juvenile justice system

Analyse obstacles within the system that prevent its proper functioning and operations

Prepare recommendations to resolve identified obstacles and build a justice system that protects children in contact with the system (children in conflict with the law, children in danger, young victims and child witnesses) and encourages alternative sentences

PARTNERS: UNICEF Djibouti and the Republic of Djibouti’s Department of Justice

ACHIEVEMENTS:

Data was collected for analysis from key players in the juvenile justice system during the first two missions

Meetings were held with representatives from the juvenile justice system and various communities, as well as with children living on the streets

Observation visits were made to Gabode prison and the court of first instance’s youth crime division to evaluate the difficulties children could encounter when dealing with the justice system

After several thematic workshops, presentations and a validation workshop, a final analysis report on obstacles within the juvenile justice system was submitted to Djiboutian authorities, followed by a strategic follow-up mission

In September 2015, the IBCR went to Djibouti for a third time in order to validate the study’s recommendations, support the country during the production of its own national action plan, and provide advice for the definition of clear and realistic objectives for the project’s next steps Productive discussions ensued between the IBCR and UNICEF, to help in reinforcing the country’s justice system and to ensure that international juvenile justice standards were integrated in a durable way in the training and practices of the parties involved

Our Committed Partners

“[…] In an effort to reinforce child protection services, the Department of Justice, in cooperation with the International Bureau for Children’s Rights and UNICEF, carried out an analysis of obstacles in the juvenile justice system . […] I would like to thank and congratulate everyone who actively participated in this process for their commitment […] I would also like to thank Guillaume Landry and the International Bureau for Children’s Rights, who assisted us throughout the process by sharing their expertise with us ”

Moncef Moalla Assistant Representative, UNICEF in Djibouti