2008 Activity Report
Promoting Justice to Create Opportunity
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2008 Activity Report
IDLO International Development Law Organization
PROGRAM ACTIVITIES
In accordance with the use of the standard development sector logical framework, the efficiency and effectiveness of each potential activity is evaluated against the expected impact, outcomes and outputs. Diagnostic Dialogues As part of an initial evaluation, IDLO often conducts videoconference discussions with relevant experts and local stakeholders, to gain an overview of legal and regulatory priorities and begin identifying potential program partners. Needs Assessment IDLO experts conduct a thorough needs analysis in the field to assess specific requirements relating to the legal development issues in the country/region. This mission is used to establish local partnerships and contacts on the ground and agree with stakeholders on the program and calendar of activities. Policy Dialogues IDLO facilitates discussions with high-level representatives of all the relevant stakeholders concerned with specific legislation or procedure. The aim of such dialogue is to bring together national or regional policy-makers with the ultimate goal of gaining each party’s agreement to the development of an action plan. Training IDLO uses training to address specific gaps in professional legal knowledge and skills. Courses are addressed to participants from a single institution or organization or from several entities working on the same issue (such as water, gender, microfinance). International “visiting experts” are brought in where necessary to support IDLO’s in-house teams. IDLO training workshops are held in IDLO headquarters, regional centers or incountry; they are also conducted by videoconference to support ongoing programs. In conjunction with local partners, IDLO may select a small number of course participants to instruct on becoming trainers. These training of trainers (TOT) courses aim to facilitate institutional change and ensure the sustainability of IDLO’s programs.
In 2008, IDLO launched a customized and user-friendly e-learning training system. The combination of audio, text, graphics, documentation, questions and case studies provides our participants with a meaningful, interactive learning experience. Technical Assistance Advice and mentoring on legal aspects of policy or legislative drafting; physical support such as the establishment of court libraries and supplying essential legal texts; or knowledge support through the development of professional resources in the native language. Legal Awareness Activities include producing and screening educational films; publishing legal advice articles in local newspapers; and providing legal training and funding to NGOs working within target communities. Research and Publication Activities include the production of monographs, working papers and policy briefs. IDLO also focuses its efforts on the ongoing development of the Rule of Law Assistance Directory, the first publicly available global inventory of development assistance activities. Monitoring and Evaluation In 2008, IDLO established a new rigorous monitoring and evaluation system. All training activities are subject to a standard evaluation approach which covers four levels: 1. participant satisfaction with the training; 2. immediate change in individual knowledge and skills; 3. change in individual performance in the workplace; and 4. change in the overall performance of the institution. The actual evaluation approach for each project is tailored according to the project’s specific objectives.
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ECONOMIC GROWTH and TRADE PROGRAMS Economic growth and trade enable developing countries to alleviate widespread poverty and reduce the risk of internal conflict. IDLO assists governments, public institutions, business communities and NGOs in building strong business-related legal frameworks and maximizing the benefits of development assistance and international trade.
■ Investment Law STRATEGY AND PRACTICE FOR INVESTMENT GROWTH Donor: Italian Government Foreign Direct Investment is a key ingredient for successful economic growth in developing countries. Therefore, it is essential that local investment authorities use their often scarce resources in an efficient and effective manner. This program assists government officials and legal advisors working for national investment authorities in meeting legal, practical and policy challenges to attract the right type of investment, negotiate investment agreements, and maintain and incorporate investment into the national system.
Policy Dialogues
Ghana, Kenya, Namibia, Uganda
22 January 2008
Benin, Burkina Faso, Madagascar, Senegal
13 February and 9 May 2008
French: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Congo, Guinea, Madagascar, Niger, DRC, Senegal, Togo
28 April – 16 May 2008
English: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Bulgaria, China, Ecuador, Ghana, Kenya, Macedonia, Namibia, Nigeria, Somalia, Tanzania, Uganda, Venezuela
26 May – 13 June 2008
Policy Dialogue on Systems to Promote Investments
Burkina Faso, Democratic Republic of Congo, and Republic of Congo
22 September 2008
Policy Dialogue on ‘One Stop Shop’ and Investment Law
Namibia, Kenya, Tanzania
August 2008
In-Country Workshops on International Arbitration
Burkina Faso
27-31 October 2008
Democratic Republic of Congo
29-31 December 2008
Republic of Congo
4-6 February 2009
In-Country Workshop on ‘One Stop Shop’ and Investment Techniques
Namibia
3-7 November 2008
In-Country Workshops on International Negotiation Techniques
Burkina Faso
24-28 November 2008
Democratic Republic of Congo
22-24 December 2008
Republic of Congo
9-11 February 2009
Tanzania
5-17 December 2008
International Workshops (Rome)
In-Country Workshop on Intellectual Property Rights and their Relevance to Investment
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■ Trade Law PUBLIC INTERNATIONAL TRADE LAW COURSE Donors: World Trade Organization; Finnish Government IDLO designed this course to assist government trade officials to benefit from global trade liberalization and regional economic integration. It examines the rules, operations and impact of the World Trade Organization’s multilateral trading system and provides substantive guidance on the legal aspects of emerging issues on global trade and regional integration.
Regional Workshops
Yaoundé, Cameroon (French): Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Ivory Coast, Guinea, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal, Togo
21 July – 8 August 2008
Sydney, Australia (English): Bangladesh, Cambodia, Indonesia, LAO PDR, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, PR China, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Sri Lanka, Thailand, the Philippines, and Vietnam.
10-28 November 2008
TRADE NEGOTIATION SKILLS Donors: University of Western Cape; University of Pretoria; IDLO; and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation As international trade and investment have become increasingly important factors in the economic growth of less developed nations, the lack of indigenous capacity and expertise place them at a significant disadvantage when engaging in international trade and investment with more developed trading partners. Since 2006, IDLO has been a partner for the LLM Program offered jointly by the Universities of the Western Cape and of Pretoria, providing specialized technical assistance to the universities. In-Country Workshop
South Africa
22-26 September 2008
OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES FOR TRADE & INVESTMENT BETWEEN SOUTH ASIA AND AUSTRALIA Donors: Securency International Pty Ltd and EPL International Pty Ltd. IDLO brought together government trade representatives from Australia, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, as well as trade lawyers, academics, organizations and individuals to consider the state of trade and investment between South Asia and Australia and ways to enhance this activity. Policy Dialogue
Australia
27 May 2008
■ Intellectual Property Many developing countries are members of the World Trade Organization, which requires them to enable legitimate owners of intellectual property (IP) rights to take action against infringers and recover any losses incurred. In reality, these countries are often unable to guarantee the enforcement of such rights, due to institutional weaknesses and the lack of an adequate number of judges with specific IP experience. Since the introduction of the Agreement on Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPs), developing countries are under increasing pressure to conform on Intellectual Property rights. Since 2001, IDLO has been running the Intellectual Property Development Program, which provides training and technical assistance to both government officials and private sector advisors on compliance with TRIPs obligations. The program also covers how to effectively use the global IP protection system and obtain better deals in future negotiations.
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IP AND THE ENFORCEMENT OF IP RIGHTS Donor: Microsoft Corporation In-Country Workshops
Impact Projects
Rome-based Research and Study Mission
Argentina
14-18 April 2008
Macedonia
30 June – 4 July 2008
Kenya
13-17 October 2008
Indonesia
10-13 November 2008
Bulgaria
16 November 2008
Egypt
23-28 November 2008
China
1-4 December 2008
Jordan and Nepal
15 September – 4 October 2008
MACROECONOMIC FRAMEWORK FOR THE PROTECTION OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS Donors: unrestricted funds and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Distance Learning Training Workshop
Benin, Burkina Faso, Senegal and Madagascar
17-18 June 2008
■ Microfinance Donor: Omidyar Network Microfinance has become widely recognized as one of the most highly effective tools for alleviating poverty throughout the developing world. What began with scattered grassroots NGOs has rapidly expanded into a fully-fledged global industry, with micro-lenders transforming into regulated banks and traditionally donor-led entities beginning to tap into the financial resources offered by capital markets. IDLO is running a three-year worldwide program, launched in 2006, which encourages and enables legal professionals to take an active role in the industry by providing advice and assistance on the legal, regulatory and practical aspects of microfinance. Regional Training Workshops
Diagnostic Dialogues
India - 7 Countries represented from South Asia
31 March – 11 April 2008
Romania - 10 Countries represented from East Europe
14-25 July 2008
Tanzania - 9 Countries represented from East Africa
17-28 November 2008
Mauritania
23 July 2008
Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda
22 October 2008
Another component of this project is discussion and knowledge sharing within a global network of legal professionals concerned with access to financial services for the poor. In this framework, IDLO encourages and coordinates the participants of the training workshops to produce Microfinance Policy and Regulation Surveys relating to the respective countries. These are posted on the IDLO Microfinance website, www.idlo.int/microfinance
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SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS Crosscutting challenges such as climate change, scarcity of critical resources (e.g. land, water, and food), disease, economic instability and human insecurity constitute grave threats to development progress at the community, national, and regional levels. Law and regulation help solve these issues.
■ Environmental Programs AVOIDING DEFORESTATION: LAND, RESOURCES RIGHTS AND LOCAL COMMUNITIES Donors: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation; Oxfam This project is developed in the context of the Governor’s “Aceh Green Vision”, and its goal is to strengthen the institutional, policy, legal and regulatory framework relating to natural resource management, land use change and forestry, as well as to strengthen and protect indigenous and local communities’ land and resource access and rights. Initiated in partnership with Oxfam Aceh and Nias Programme, the first phase of the project focuses on researching the implications of forest conservation on the local communities’ access and rights in relation to land and resources, particularly in the context of Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD) Projects. It establishes a consultative and collaborative process between stakeholders, and articulates a range of recommended measures to address the issues. Multi-component Program Phase I
Indonesia
September 2008 – April 2009
CLIMATE CHANGE AND DEVELOPING COUNTRIES: INTERNATIONAL LEGAL AND MARKET-BASED INSTRUMENTS Donors: Governments represented and Microsoft Corporation (French version); AusAID (English version in Sydney); IDLO The impact of climate change affects the entire world, but its most vulnerable victims will be the poorest in the developing world. This unprecedented global challenge calls for a global response. The new low-carbon development model presents opportunities for developing countries. In order to harness the benefits from these opportunities while protecting their future, the governments, businesses and civil society in these countries must understand the climate change international legal agreements. They must also gain a practical understanding of how to realize the financial benefits from emissions reduction, including the Clean Development Mechanism, which may finance the path to sustainable development.
International Workshops
Rome (French): Benin, Burkina Faso, Colombia, Congo, Ecuador, Haiti, Madagascar, Mauritania, Morocco, DRC
15-26 September 2008
Rome (English): Argentina, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bulgaria, Cameroon, Ecuador, Jordan, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Mozambique, Serbia, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Ukraine, Vietnam
6-17 October 2008
Sydney (English): Bangladesh, China, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Vietnam
6-17 October 2008
The CO2 emissions caused by the seminars held in Rome are Zero Impact® because they are compensated by the reforestation of adequate woodlands in Madagascar by LIFEGATE®. The emissions of the Sydney seminar were offset by Australian domestic carbon credits donated by Global Carbon Exchange (GCX).
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WATER RESOURCE MANAGEMENT Developing countries face a wide range of daunting challenges regarding the development and management of water resources. A key task is to develop the necessary laws, regulations and institutions required to manage water resources in a sustainable way. To address this critical issue, many legal regimes for water resource management are currently being reviewed and amended. Leading on from the 2006 series of highly specialized international seminars on Water Resource Management, IDLO continued to offer training and technical assistance on this subject throughout 2007 and 2008. Policy Dialogue Donor: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Benin, Burkina Faso, Madagascar and Senegal
21 January 2008
Regional Workshop Donor: Coca-Cola Company
In Cairo (Arabic): Algeria, Egypt, Morocco, Syria, Tunisia and Yemen
12-23 October 2008
IDLO\Coca-Cola Water Fellowship Donor: Coca-Cola Company
Awarded to an academic from the People’s Republic of China, for his research project on “Relief for Victims of Environmental Pollution in the Context of Trans-Boundary Water Management in China”.
January – December 2008
■ Gender SPECIAL MEASURES TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF WOMEN IN NATIONAL PARLIAMENTS Donors: IDLO; Pacific Island Forum Secretariat; the Secretariat of the Pacific Community; UNIFEM; UNDP Pacific; and the InterParliamentarian Union. The Pacific has the lowest percentage of women in national parliaments in the world. IDLO is assisting the Pacific Island Forum Secretariat (PIFS) through an initiative to increase the number of women in the national parliaments of countries in the Pacific. IDLO funded and participated in consultation missions with PIFS to the Cook Islands and Papua New Guinea (PNG) in order to determine, inter alia, local support for increasing the number of women in parliament and where legal technical assistance may be required. Sub-Regional Workshop
Papua New Guinea
25-26 September 2008
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■ HIV and Health Law Donor: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation In 2007, IDLO launched a pilot initiative in Yunnan, China: the ‘HIV and AIDS Law and Access to Justice Project’, which resulted in the first training workshop specifically for lawyers in China. This led to the establishment in 2008 of a network of lawyers in Yunnan to provide legal advice to PLHIV and vulnerable groups, and to two publications to explain HIV legal services to affected communities. Publication
“A Guidebook on HIV/AIDS and the Law: Yunnan, China” (in Chinese and English), available at: www.idlo.int
January 2008
Report
“Policy and Legal Environment and Legal Needs for HIV and AIDS Prevention and Control: Yunnan, China” (in Chinese and English), available at: www.idlo.int
December 2008
These publications have been widely distributed in Yunnan, China. In addition to the Yunnan Center for Disease Control, they have been circulated by international stakeholders and NGOs working on HIV legal issues in China.
■ Human Rights ANTI - HUMAN TRAFFICKING PROGRAM IN SENEGAL Donors: French Government; Italian Government; and UNICEF Senegal is a country of origin, transit and final destination for human trafficking. Despite having a specific national law and a bilateral agreement with Mali, Senegal’s legal system, like that of other countries in the region, suffers from serious shortcomings in the implementation of measures to prevent human trafficking and protect victims and witnesses. In January 2008, IDLO began examining ways to tackle human trafficking through the legal and social protection of those most vulnerable (women and children), the repression of dealers and the provision of assistance to victims. The research was followed by two field missions to further evaluate needs and consult with all stakeholders. IDLO organized two roundtable events in order to write and revise an analytical report on strengthening the legal and institutional system to fight human trafficking in Senegal. In April and May 2008, working groups composed of all the parties engaged in this process developed a series of recommendations and then met in Dakar for the final formulation of the National Action Plan. This five-year plan allows actors from the public administration and private sector to coordinate and rationalize their activities in order to address trafficking as a whole, and to assist and rehabilitate its victims. The National Action Plan includes a public awareness campaign, the revision of the anti-trafficking legal framework and judicial training. Multi-Component Program
Senegal
January – June 2008
CAPACITY BUILDING ON HUMAN RIGHTS Donor: Irish Aid Ethiopia’s Human Rights Commission is a relatively new institution, created by parliamentary proclamation in the year 2000 to settle human rights complaints brought before it. IDLO provided this program to strengthen the commission’s negotiation and mediation skills. In-Country Workshop
Ethiopia
17-22 March 2008
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■ Land Reform Program LAND REFORM IN BURKINA FASO Donor: Italian Government Burkina Faso is one of the poorest landlocked countries in the world. The country’s large population (14.3 million people), limited natural resources and weak industrial base results in poor economic prospects for the majority of its citizens. It is estimated that over 46% of the population lives below the poverty line, and life expectancy is only 45 years. About 90% of the population is engaged in subsistence agriculture, with cotton used as the main cash crop. In 2007, the Burkina Faso Ministry of Agriculture began a land reform program with the aim of formalizing access to land rights, thereby providing legal security and increased financial prospects to people living and working in rural areas. The Ministry also launched a national program entitled “Ensuring Land Security” to help secure a better future for the country’s poor rural communities by formalizing access and ownership of land. Under the program, substantial changes to existing land law have been presented to the National Assembly. Aimed specifically at boosting the agriculture and farming sectors, this reform could prove to be a significant step towards alleviating long-term poverty. Throughout 2007, IDLO held a series of seminars and workshops examining land policy vis-à-vis the existing land law and the new proposals. In 2008 IDLO completed the first phase of the program with a workshop on how to educate public servants, local authorities, community and religious leaders about the new reform. Multi-Component Program
Burkina Faso
January – April 2008
RURAL PROPERTY RIGHTS AND ACCESS TO LAND (follow up to the 2007 Development Lawyer Course) Donors: IDLO and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Distance Learning Training Workshop
Benin, Burkina Faso, Madagascar and Senegal
4 June 2008
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INSTITUTIONAL and JUSTICE REFORM PROGRAMS When countries emerge from periods of armed conflict, rebuilding the legal system is a key step in creating stability and establishing a framework for peaceful development and continued growth. In politically stable countries, IDLO’s focus is to strengthen the institutions of justice by promoting the independence of the judiciary, access to justice, human rights and gender equality, and the efficiency of the judicial process. IDLO also assists local institutions in program planning, financial management, financial and program reporting, board selection and development, and institutional transparency and accountability.
■ Justice reform INCREASING AFGHANISTAN’S CAPACITY FOR SUSTAINABLE LEGAL REFORM March 2007 – June 2009 Donor: Italian Government Since the establishment of its first office in Kabul in 2003, IDLO has completed three major judicial reform projects. In March 2007 IDLO started implementing a 21-month program which put a greater focus on sustainable capacity building. Highlights of the Project in 2008 include: The first courses on Family Law available in the country
In collaboration with the Afghan Supreme Court, IDLO worked with over 180 Afghan judges from April through August 2008 in an effort to increase legal awareness of human rights. The courses addressed common misconceptions in Afghanistan, particularly with regard to the rights of married women and children according to the law and Islam.
Juvenile Law and Children’s Rights
From May to December 2008, IDLO implemented Juvenile Law training courses for the Ministry of Justice and the Supreme Court. The courses increased the participants’ awareness of children’s rights in Islam, the applicable international norms, the precautionary measures to prevent juvenile delinquency, the circumstances, procedures and time limits for detention and punishment, and for appeal and cessation procedures.
Access to Legal Aid
Since early 2007, IDLO has provided technical and financial assistance to the Legal Aid Organization of Afghanistan (LAOA). LAOA is the first legal aid organization in the country that provides criminal defense services and legal advice for women and children in Kabul and eleven other provinces. LAOA legal experts also provide five-month training courses for other Afghan legal aid attorneys, and training courses and technical assistance for para-legal staff. In August 2008, members of LAOA benefitted from a strategic planning workshop and a study tour in Rome.
Building sustainable capacities and disseminating knowledge
IDLO provided Legal Training Programs for 420 professionals from the Ministry of Justice to increase the quality of their performance in subjects such as Human Rights, Real property, Commercial Law, Civil and Commercial Procedures, and State Case Law. It then conducted extensive training-oftrainers programs to develop a legal training unit within the Ministry. These IDLO-trained professionals conducted courses in Mazar-e-Sharif, Kunduz and Herat, with participants coming from all the northern provinces of the country. To reinforce the Ministry of Justice and the Parliament’s knowledge of legislation drafting techniques and methods, IDLO organized a study tour to Cairo, Egypt in November 2008. In December 2008, IDLO provided a “Constitutional Comparative Law” training course for the staff members of Mishrano Jirga. The course enhanced the awareness of the National Assembly’s Upper House of the historic background of constitutional laws, the elements of constitutions and the main systems related to constitutions. IDLO played a leading role in the birth of the Independent National Legal Training Center (INLTC) in 2007 by acting as Secretariat for the Afghanistan National Development Strategy. In 2008, IDLO conducted training at the Center, and provided monitoring, research, drafting assistance and advice for the Board of the Institute.
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Access to Legal Resources
IDLO International Development Law Organization
Since the beginning of 2008, IDLO has worked with a committee of professors and legal experts from Afghanistan, Egypt and Tunisia to revise and develop crucial legal texts for use in the seven faculties of Law and Political Sciences of Afghanistan’s universities. In April of 2008, IDLO supported the opening of a law library for the Taqnin, and in October delivered 300 legal books to the Department of Research and Studies of the Supreme Court of Afghanistan.
Higher Legal Education
From March to June of 2008, IDLO supported the development of a law library for the Faculty of Shari’a at the University of Kabul. From June to August, in cooperation with the Kabul University Central Library, IDLO provided a training program for librarians from the Ministry of Justice and Kabul University. Participants learned cataloguing, LC classification and indexing.
Program Evaluation
In May-July 2008, an independent evaluation was conducted of two projects funded by the Italian Government since 2005. The purpose of the evaluation was to contribute to IDLO’s longer-term programming (2009-2011) in support of the Afghan National Justice Program. IDLO’s program received written approval from all the counterparts and will be presented to donors in Spring 2009. The full evaluation report is available on www.idlo.int
JUDICIAL REFORM IN KENYA Donors: Italian Government and the World Bank This program started in 2007 with a needs assessment of the Kenyan judiciary. After in-country consultations, IDLO began in 2008 to implement a program to establish an independent Judicial Training Institute. The program included training workshops on judicial education, drafting a plan for setting up, running and financing a Judicial Training Institute, drafting the curriculum for an induction course for judicial officers, and a scoping document on developing a judicial competency strategy.
Multi-Component Program
Kenya
July – December 2008
ASSISTANCE TO THE JUDICIAL REFORM PROJECT IN LEBANON Donor: Italian Government The Lebanese legislature works with no less than 18 different religious jurisdictions. This system contains numerous legislative contradictions regarding the status of individuals and the equality of citizens. Politics has had a profound influence on all working elements of the justice system, from law schools to the legislative process and from the judicial institutional framework to the impartiality and independence of judges. At the end of February 2008, IDLO held a roundtable with leading representatives from the Lebanese judicial system on the potential for implementing a long-awaited reform of the country’s judicial legislature and infrastructure. Following the recommendations originated from this discussion, IDLO conducted two evaluation missions to Beirut and identified priority programs for 2009. Roundtable
27 February – 1 March 2008 Lebanon
Needs Assessment Missions
August and November 2008
JUDICIAL REFORM ASSISTANCE (follow-up to the 2007 Development Lawyer Course) Donor: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Distance Learning Training Workshop
Benin, Burkina Faso, Madagascar and Senegal
3 June 2008
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■ Judicial Capacity Building DEVELOPING THE CAPACITIES OF THE JUDICIAL TRAINING CENTER IN CHAD Donor: French Government Chad is a post-conflict country committed to the establishment of rule of law primarily through a reformed legal and judicial system. In this framework, IDLO provided a course for 30 magistrates and legal clerks responsible for the training of future magistrates and clerks. Training of Trainers
Chad
21 July – 1 August 2008
BUILDING THE CAPACITY OF THE EGYPTIAN COUNCIL OF STATE September 2006 – October 2008 Donor: USAID In 2006, the Egyptian Council of State joined forces with USAID and IDLO to develop a program to increase the fairness and uniformity of decision-making both legally and procedurally, and to improve its overall efficiency. This program focused on enhancing the professional competency of judges and staff, improving access to relevant legal resources, increasing management skills for Heads of Jurisdiction, and building a network of international experts in administrative law. Highlights of the Project include: Roundtables
“Access to the Administrative Jurisdiction” was held at the opening of the project. “Enforcement of the Council of State’s Decisions by Administrative Bodies” concluded the project in October 2008.
Training Workshops
300 members of the Council of State received approximately fifteen days training over a one year period. IDLO also organized study tours to France, Belgium and Germany. Heads of Jurisdictions benefited from specific training sessions on court administration and case flow management. IDLO produced a user-friendly Judicial Benchbook for 1,700 members of the Council of State. This practical manual is the first ever to be written in the Arab region.
Technical Assistance
In 2007, IDLO began working on an extensive upgrading and modernization of the Council of State Law Library, which has since been transformed into the largest administrative judicial law library in the Arab region. Another nine libraries were established and furnished throughout the country.
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SUPPORTING THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE JUSTICE SECTOR IN ACEH (INDONESIA) November 2007 – December 2008 Donor: Oxfam GB through the Oxfam Partnership Programme Thirty years of separatist conflict in Aceh led to the closure of courts and the departure of key court personnel, contributing to a general lack of confidence and chronic under-utilization of the formal legal system. The 2004 tsunami dealt a further blow to the justice sector. IDLO’s Post-Tsunami Legal Assistance Initiative (February 2006-October 2008) supported thousands of people struggling to overcome legal obstacles in the rebuilding of their lives, especially with regard to land, inheritance and guardianship issues. In November 2007, IDLO launched a new initiative to support the development of the justice sector in Aceh more broadly. Highlights of the Project in 2008 include: Raising Awareness of Women’s Legal Rights through Film
IDLO produced a 30-minute educational film to improve women’s understanding of their legal rights on land, inheritance and guardianship issues. The film was shown in 132 villages benefiting over 4,800 women. In addition, IDLO implemented 3-day training sessions on ‘Raising Awareness of Women’s Legal Rights’ for local women’s NGOs and Da’I (orators in the mosques), reaching a target audience of 201 participants.
Community Mediation and Legal Skills Training
Since the vast majority of disputes in Aceh are resolved at the village level through customary processes, IDLO trained 2,026 village, religious, women’s and youth leaders throughout the Aceh Province on mediation and dispute resolution practices and skills, and on laws relating to guardianship, inheritance and land issues.
Raising Community Legal Awareness through Print Media
IDLO published a weekly column entitled ‘The Law and You in Practice’ in the Serambi newspaper in order to raise awareness among Aceh communities on the law and the various legal services available. A total of 54 articles were published and are available in both English and Indonesian on the IDLO website.
Research on Citizen’s Rights to Participate in Government Decision-Making Processes and Qanun Drafting in Aceh
IDLO undertook background research into government planning, budgeting, decision-making and Qanun (laws) drafting processes in Aceh, and the participation of Acehnese citizens in these processes. The research will inform Oxfam’s future programming in Aceh.
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COMMERCIAL LAW JUDICIAL CAPACITY BUILDING IN KYRGYZSTAN 2007 – 2009 Donors: Japan, Switzerland and the EBRD Fund for Early Transition Countries In 2006, the Kyrgyz Government approached the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), for assistance in addressing its lack of an effective judiciary. EBRD called upon IDLO to help develop and implement an initiative in cooperation with the Supreme Court of Kyrgyzstan. The overall aim of the three-year Project is to create a business-enabling environment in the country and maximize conditions for building long-lasting and efficient institutions that serve the population more effectively. Highlights of the Project in 2008 include: Apprenticeship
For 12 judges in the courts of the Russian Federation
Training Programs
In commercial law and judicial decision-making skills provided to 270 Kyrgyz judges by experts from the Supreme Court of Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Japan and Latvia on Securities, Competition and Business Organizations
Technical Assistance
Development of a Commercial Law Benchbook, available at http://www.benchbook.el.kg Opening and development of the first Judicial Library in Kyrgyzstan
Program Evaluation
Planning and preparation of the independent evaluation of the project, which was carried out at the beginning of 2009
RESEARCH CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT IN SUPPORT OF THE HIGH JUDICIAL INSTITUTE IN LIBYA Donor: UNDP In the framework of the UNDP assistance program to the High Judicial Institute of Libya, IDLO provided training and technical assistance to develop the institutional capacity for the research and studies department and to acquire the necessary skills to serve as facilitators and trainers in adult training programs. The assistance also included short-term consultancies on best international experiences and practices utilized by other ‘model’ national judicial training institutes.
Research Capacity Assessment Mission Training of Trainers Legal Research Capacity Workshop
9-13 March 2008 Libya
27-29 May 2008 14-16 October 2008
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ECONOMIC, COMMERCIAL AND FINANCIAL LAW IN MAURITANIA Donor: Italian Government Since 2002, IDLO has worked with the Mauritanian Ministry of Justice to support the structural reform of the justice system and the economic stabilization of the country. In 2007, IDLO started the implementation of a three-year program aimed at strengthening the capacities of the judiciary in criminal, economic and financial law. In-Country Workshop Principal Offenses in Economic and Commercial Law
3-7 March 2008
Needs Assessment Mission Strengthening Judicial Transparency on Economic and Financial Cases
Mauritania
Rome-based Training Strengthening Judicial Transparency on Economic and Financial Cases
9-10 June 2008
7-25 July 2008
JUDICIAL BENCHBOOK FOR JUDICIARIES IN THE PACIFIC Donors: AusAID and New Zealand Aid IDLO was engaged by the Pacific Judicial Development Program (PJDP), a 5-year initiative to build the capacity of judicial officers and Courts in Pacific Island countries, to investigate the need for judicial benchbooks amongst Pacific Island countries. Between January and March, IDLO headed a team that conducted a needs assessment across the Pacific and produced a strategy and workplan to develop judicial benchbooks for 12 judiciaries in the region. Technical Assistance
Pacific Islands
January – March 2008
JUSTICE ADMINISTRATION Donor: IDLO In order for judges of the Supreme People’s Court and Provincial Courts of Vietnam and judges of the Regional Trial Courts of the Philippines to meet and discuss justice administration issues, IDLO hosted and facilitated a meeting at its Regional Center in Sydney, Australia. Regional Meeting
Philippines and Vietnam
28 October 2008
ADMINISTRATION OF THE COURTS OF APPEAL Donor: Italian Government IDLO conducted a series of three workshops, starting in 2007, to support Senegalese lawyers and magistrates. In 2008, particular focus was given to the analysis of the length of criminal and commercial trials, with the objective of implementing the Senegalese Reform Program for the Efficiency of the Judicial System. In-Country Workshop
Senegal
18-22 February 2008
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INTERNATIONAL COMMERCIAL LAW AND DISPUTE RESOLUTION FOR VIETNAM Donor: Danish International Development Agency Vietnam has successfully pursued policies of global economic integration and export-oriented economic growth. As part of these policies, the country achieved WTO membership in 2007. IDLO designed and delivered a training course on International Commercial Law and Dispute Resolution for Judges of the Supreme People’s Court and Provincial Courts of Vietnam to improve judges’ knowledge of international commercial law and strengthen their capacity to resolve commercial disputes, especially of an international nature. Sydney-based Training
Vietnam
20-31 October 2008
■ Governance INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM Donor: Italian Government Appropriate infrastructure plays a vital role in poverty reduction by promoting gains in economic activity, providing support to all industries, ensuring access to markets and increasing the mobility and economic activity of people. The goal of this innovative course is to strengthen the capacities of public authorities and private companies in developing publicprivate partnerships to improve their infrastructure financing and procurement regulatory regimes.
Diagnostic Dialogue
Cameroon, Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo and Guinea
12 September 2008
International (Rome)
French: Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Guinea, Madagascar, Mauritania, Democratic Republic of Congo, Senegal, Tunisia
27 October – 14 November 2008
English: Ethiopia, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Lesotho, Nepal, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe
24 November – 12 December 2008
Workshops
PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS (follow-up to the 2007 Development Lawyer Course) Donors: Italian Government, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Distance Learning Training Workshop
Benin, Burkina Faso, Madagascar and Senegal
9 May 2008
16
2008 Activity Report
IDLO International Development Law Organization
INTERNATIONAL PROCUREMENT AND CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS Donor: The Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA) The Monterrey Summit focused on improving the effectiveness and impact of development assistance through the harmonization of donor policies and practices, and at the same time, strengthening the management capacities of the recipient countries. In this framework, IDLO designed an interactive, participatory and results-driven training workshop on new procurement policies, procedures and practices of aid development institutions. Regional Workshop (in Lesotho)
Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, and Swaziland
4-16 August 2008
REGIONAL PROGRAM ON PUBLIC PROCUREMENT Donor: The Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA) Diagnostic Dialogue
Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Mali and Senegal
5 December 2008
PUBLIC PROCUREMENT – POLICY, STRATEGY AND REFORM Donor: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation This pilot e-learning course enhances the capacity of legal experts, public sector procurement officers and purchasing agency managers to implement speedy, transparent and fair acquisitions of goods and services, and strengthens the public procurement regulations, management and procedures. E-Learning Training Program Worldwide
10 November – 7 December 2008
■ The Universal Legal Regime Against Terrorism Donor: UNODC Under United Nations’ requirements, Member States are obliged to introduce and implement domestic measures to address the threat of terrorism and transnational crime. This includes ratifying the 16 UN Counter-Terrorism Conventions and putting in place domestic legislation to effectively combat terrorism. Throughout 2007, IDLO held a series of policy dialogues to enable selected countries to meet these United Nations obligations. These dialogues were successful in identifying areas of incompatibility between the international conventions on terrorism and domestic laws, and developing practical in-country activities for drafting domestic counter-terrorism legislation. In late 2007, IDLO began holding national workshops designed to facilitate the task of the competent authorities in ratifying, incorporating into the law and implementing specific universal anti-terrorism instruments relating to terrorism and criminal justice cooperation, including extradition and mutual legal assistance. These national workshops continued in 2008. In-Country Workshops
Bangladesh
5-8 May 2008
East Timor
21-23 May 2008
Contacts Headquarters Viale Vaticano, 106 00165 Rome – Italy Tel. +39 06 40403200 Fax. +39 06 40403232 idlo@idlo.int Arab Regional Office: “Ibrahim Shihata” Center 47/C Abou El-Feda Street 11211 Zamalek, Cairo - Egypt Tel. + 202 2735.01.16/17/18 Fax + 202 2735.00.69 cairo@idlo.int Asia Pacific Regional Center Old Glebe Court House - 2 Talfourd Street 2037 Glebe NSW - Australia Tel. +61 2 85 85 67 00 Fax +61 2 85 85 67 67 aprc@idlo.int
www.idlo.int
graphic layout: tr e associati - rome