In Angola, only about a third of the public trusts the court system, and the press is restricted by both overt and de facto actions limiting the scope and quality of reporting. Access to basic human rights such as freedom of expression and access to justice remain limited in the country as reporters continue to face charges of criminal defamation and there are not enough lawyers to handle the legal needs of citizens (there is approximately one lawyer for every 26,500 people in Angola). Therefore, an expansion of the judiciary in addition to an increase in journalistic independence and civic understanding make the present an inflection point to effectively improve justice delivery in Angola for the future.
Angola Background
ABA ROLI’s two projects in Angola complement one another while strengthening each’s ability to achieve desired outcomes.
Promoting the Rule of Law in Angola works to provide technical and financial support to Angolan institutions to identify areas for legal reform and promote judicial independence, improve the level of civic understanding (especially around the operation of the court system), and improve the judiciary’s capacity to manage and adjudicate matters as a co-equal branch of government. As public trust in court systems is deeply tied to judicial transparency, the project’s approach to judicial independence and the rule of law in Angola will be centered around the creation of trust to achieve increased access to justice for Angolan citizens.
Promoting Press Freedom in Angola focuses on journalistic independence. Primary activities are centered around public education and advocacy, development of resources, and trainings, all which aim to equip journalists with knowledge about anticorruption and human rights norms, how to advocate for themselves, as well as the procedural understanding of how to investigate and report corrupt acts and human rights violations in a digital and disinformation-filled landscape.