Quarterly Progress Report: FAIR, Accountable, Independent, and Responsible (FAIR) Judiciary Program in Ukraine

The program was implemented by Chemonics International under contract with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and focused on four main objectives: development of a constitutional, legislative, and regulatory framework for judicial reform; strengthening the accountability and transparency of key judicial institutions and operations; strengthening the professionalism and effectiveness of the Ukrainian judiciary; and strengthening the role of civil society organizations as advocates for and monitors of judicial reform. The program's overall goal was to support the development of a more accountable and independent judiciary in Ukraine. To achieve this goal, the program implemented a range of activities, including the development of a constitutional, legislative, and regulatory framework for judicial reform; the strengthening of the accountability and transparency of key judicial institutions and operations; the strengthening of the professionalism and effectiveness of the Ukrainian judiciary; and the strengthening of the role of civil society organizations as advocates for and monitors of judicial reform. One notable achievement of the program was the successful piloting of the first online course for judges on "Judicial Ethics" in September and October 2014. The course was developed by the National School of Judges (NSJ) and FAIR, and was based on the distance learning methodology and model curricula introduced by FAIR Judicial Education Expert Hope Kentnor in February 2013. The course was piloted on the NSJ's web site and was attended by 450 judges, with 53 judges successfully completing the course and receiving certificates issued by the NSJ. The analysis of post-training evaluation forms indicated that the participants appreciated the value of test taking, liked individual case-studies, found forum discussions useful, and found creative work useful. All participants expressed their satisfaction with their participation in the online course and would like to continue training in an online format. The program also engaged 7,173 citizens in the process of monitoring and oversight of court performance, and supported the development of more than 900 civil society recommendations to courts to improve court functions. The program's success was also reflected in the number of courts that received assistance, with 499 courts covering every region of Ukraine receiving support. The program also supported 19 government justice sector institutions, targeted programming provided to 19 civil society organizations, and promoted nine amendments to Ukrainian legislation to enhance judicial independence. Additionally, the program trained 1,630 judges and judicial personnel, qualified 193 trainers under the Training of Trainers Program, and developed 11 new legal courses and curricula, including a first-ever in Ukraine Court Administration Certificate Program.