Judicial Training Initiative in the Great Lakes Region

After conducting an in-depth assessment of judicial training in Central Africa from January to June 2013, the American Bar Association Rule of Law Initiative (ABA ROLI) supported a regional judicial training initiative with an initial focus on Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Republic of Congo, and Rwanda. The goal of the initiative was to improve the impartiality, competence, efficiency, and effectiveness of magistrates and court-support personnel in participating countries through training and other capacity-building efforts. The magistrates and other court personnel in the target countries were seeking to rehabilitate their judicial systems weakened by conflict and political instability. 

ABA ROLI’s assessment found that while all four countries were exerting efforts to improve initial education and follow-on training offered to judges at a national level, widespread capacity-building needs remain. The report showed broad support for a regional initiative to address gaps by supplementing national-level efforts.

Recognizing that national-level judicial training efforts were underway, the regional initiative emphasized complimentary approaches to support those activities and leverage their successes. Additionally, ABA ROLI engaged key national stakeholders—including justice sector personnel, ministries, and civil society organizations—in defining the scope, strategic direction, and governance structure of the regional initiative. These stakeholders led each country’s participation in the judicial training initiative and elected delegates to a regional steering group that served as the principal governance body of the training initiative and that will play a central role in identifying training priorities. The program was funded by the US Department of State Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor.

A steering group made of key government, judicial, and civil society stakeholders from each of the four countries served as the initiative's governing body. The steering group defined the scope, strategic direction, and governance structure of the judicial training institute. It also prepared, discussed and adopted judicial training priorities; and advised on curriculum development. The body was also charged with formulating and negotiating a long-term, collaborative strategy for sustaining the regional initiative.

Consistent with our guiding principles, ABA ROLI approached the judicial capacity-building program at multiple levels. ABA ROLI conducted professional development training sessions for magistrates and court support personnel from the participating countries. ABA ROLI offered courses on topics—as determined by the steering group—with international or regional dimensions, while simultaneously working with national-level judicial training institutions to conduct training sessions for staff and faculty. Finally, the program encouraged firmer footing for the rule of law in Central Africa by providing opportunities for magistrates and other stakeholders to connect with their international counterparts and to explore best practices related to broader judicial reform efforts.