Angola is experiencing low levels of public trust in the court system, a lack of lawyers, low understanding of judicial processes, and backlogs that keep Angolans from obtaining relief within the civil and criminal legal systems. These build-ups have led to Angola being ranked 122 of 140 countries on whether civil justice is subject to unreasonable delay, with accused individuals often held up to five years in pretrial detention. However, as more resources are now becoming available to court functions, there is a valuable opportunity to support the Angolan judiciary’s procedures and independence.
Promoting Rule of Law in Angola
ABA ROLI’s Promoting Rule of Law in Angola project is working to strengthen the Angolan judicial system by fostering a robust dialogue around judicial processes, decision-making, and constitutionalism, as well as supporting judges directly with capacity-building activities to improve judicial independence and effectiveness. By supporting a coalition of Angolan legal professional organizations, civil society, academics, and select government stakeholders, ABA ROLI and program partners are working to strengthen Angola’s legal framework for judicial independence. Additionally, this will improve citizens’ ability to demonstrate awareness of their legal rights and responsibilities, and increase Angola’s judges and courts’ ability to manage and make judgements in cases fairly and effectively.