Promoting the rule of law in fragile states
Romualdo Mavedzenge – former Country Director for South Sudan
South Sudan
Statehood came to South Sudan in mid-2011, accompanied by international goodwill. But the conflict which erupted in late 2013 inflamed latent political and ethnic tensions. This resulted in gross human rights violations and piled further pressure onto the fledgling justice delivery system. A peace agreement was signed in August 2015 under the auspices of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and the African Union to end hostilities, and detailing the formation of a government of national unity. Justice sector institutions, including the Judiciary, the Ministry of Justice, the Private Bar and the College of Law at the University of Juba, now have a vital role to play in restoring and strengthening the rule of law, and ensuring accountability and reconciliation.
IDLO supports moot courts and legal education in South Sudan
Two students from South Sudan’s University of Juba’s College of Law (COL) have successfully competed in the African Human Rights Moot Competition, held from 18 – 23 September in Mauritius. Their participation was facilitated by IDLO as part of its work to foster legal education in South Sudan.
Facilitating access to justice
IDLO implemented a project aimed at improving access to justice services for rural and marginalized citizens in South Sudan by supporting legal aid and through building the capacity of rule of law actors. The project included training for paralegals, civil society organizations and legal professionals to enable them to effectively carry out their duties of justice service delivery.
Collection of papers on human rights in South Sudan
IDLO and the University of Juba’s College of Law (COL) have published a collection of papers titled ‘Towards a People Centered Human Rights State in South Sudan’, initially presented by African academics and experts at a symposium held in May 20
Focusing on human rights issues in South Sudan
More than 120 participants attended a three-day symposium in South Sudan, organised by the College of Law (COL) and supported by IDLO, to promote awareness of and dialogue on contemporary human rights issues.
Symposium on Human Rights in South Sudan
To promote greater awareness and dialogue on contemporary human rights issues in South Sudan, the College of Law (COL) at the University of Juba in South Sudan, supported by IDLO, will host a three-day Symposium, providing a platform for academic discussion on important legal, political and human rights topics.
Evaluation of the Project “Enhancing the Capacity of the Judiciary of South Sudan"
As part of IDLO’s continuous commitment to accountability and results-based management, IDLO is pleased to share this Evaluation Brief (summarised evaluation report): “Enhancing the Capacity of the Judiciary of South Sudan”. The evaluation has been conducted by independent evaluation experts, supervised by IDLO’s Evaluation Unit. This exercise utilized a theory-driven, mixed-method approach, in line with the IDLO Evaluation Guidelines and OECD DAC standards.
South Sudan: Legal Skills for Civil Society
IDLO’s first legal course for representatives of civil society organizations (CSO), working to promote the rule of law, improve access to justice and support peace initiatives, has launched in South Sudan this week.
South Sudan: My Modest Contribution to Justice and Peace
by Stephen Mubiru, IDLO Lead Trainer, Juba
I first travelled from Uganda to Juba in 2009, as part of the IDLO team conducting justice sector training there. South Sudan itself did not yet exist as an independent country, there was an interim constitution and peace negotiations were ongoing.
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Key Initiatives
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IDLO implemented a project aimed at improving access to justice services for rural and marginalized citizens in South Sudan by supporting legal aid and through building the capacity of rule of law actors. The project included training for paralegals, civil society organizations and legal professionals to enable them to effectively carry out their duties of justice service delivery.
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As part of IDLO’s continuous commitment to accountability and results-based management, IDLO is pleased to share this Evaluation Brief (summarised evaluation report): “Enhancing the Capacity of the Judiciary of South Sudan”. The evaluation has been conducted by independent evaluation experts, supervised by IDLO’s Evaluation Unit. This exercise utilized a theory-driven, mixed-method approach, in line with the IDLO Evaluation Guidelines and OECD DAC standards.
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As a long-term partner of the College of Law at the University of Juba, IDLO helped align the teaching system with South Sudan's new legal context and regional standards. With the majority of its justice sector professionals educated in Islamic/civil law, South Sudan faces the dual task of increasing its overall population of qualified legal professionals and simultaneously retraining practicing lawyers and prosecutors.
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IDLO is working with the Ministry of Justice to develop training methodology and curricula for both general and specialized, skills-based courses for Ministry of Justice public prosecutors, legal counsels and public and private lawyers, and members of civil society organizations. By developing legal training materials for justice professionals and working to establish a pool of qualified national trainers to engage in future legal training activities, IDLO is supporting the establishment of a Legal Training Institute.
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With a reliable justice system, the Judiciary of South Sudan plays a vital role to secure lasting peace and stability in South Sudan. To this end, IDLO is working with the Judiciary of South Sudan to enhance the capacity of judges, judicial support staff and judicial assistants in procedural, substantive legal subjects and English language skills. This capacity building serves to improve the quality and delivery of judicial services in line with the country’s laws and international standards.
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The National Constitutional Review Commission of South Sudan continues to consult with stakeholders and the public on the development of a Permanent Constitution for South Sudan. In the past, IDLO supported the National Constitutional Review Commission by providing technical expertise in particular aspects of the Constitution’s structure and substance. IDLO provided ongoing secretarial support to the coordination of the Commission’s activities.
