September 2012

Judicial training institutes in the Gulf face myriad challenges. Many have very small permanent staffs and face constant challenges in recruiting qualified instructors to teach judges, prosecutors and lawyers. In September, the ABA Rule of Law Initiative (ABA ROLI), in partnership with Bahrain's Ministry of Justice, sponsored a workshop for directors and key staff from judicial institutes in the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait and Bahrain. 

The training featured discussions around training methodologies, the use of new technologies to enhance training, developing quality training curricula, and matters pertaining to training institute staff, recruitment and general management of a judicial training institute. Three international experts led the two-day program, which included an examination of international best practices. Judge Rosa Jansen, chair of the Netherlands Training and Study Center for the Judiciary, Judge Abderrafi Erouihane, director of Morocco’s Institut Superieure de la Magistrature, and Dr. Esther DeVries, director of information technology for the U.S. Federal Judicial Center, addressed the delivery of high-quality judicial training.

As a follow-up to the training, participants committed to increasing the use of technology in their institutes’ trainings and to review their curricula for possible enhancements. The group plans to hold subsequent annual meetings on these issues. Following the workshop, Judge Erouihane remained in Bahrain to train Bahrain’s Judicial and Legal Studies Institute leadership and staff. 

ABA ROLI’s work in the Gulf is supported by the U.S. Department of State Office of the Middle East Partnership Initiative.

To learn more about the ABA Rule of Law Initiative’s work in the Gulf, contact us at rol@americanbar.org.