Rule of Law Stabilization – Formal Component Monthly Report May 1 – May 31, 2013

The project aims to strengthen the capacity of the judiciary and court administrators to ensure fair, accountable, and transparent dispute resolution in the formal court system. RLS-Formal supported a multi-donor training program on anti-corruption for judges and prosecutors in Kabul in May. The project worked with the judicial Stage to prepare a train-the-trainer program to build the capacity of judicial Stage instructors and initiated the planning process for an international study tour for anti-corruption judges in support of their continuing legal education. The project also continued a training program for Supreme Court staff on its asset management database and delivered office equipment to the Supreme Court to assist staff with entering data into the asset management database. The Ministry of Higher Education held a national Symposium, facilitated by RLS-Formal, for Law and Sharia faculties to engage in a strategic dialogue on legal education in Afghanistan. Kabul University graduated 150 students from intensive legal English language courses and graduated 130 students from computer literacy training programs with the project's support. Herat University commenced two practical training programs for professors of legal clinics, and the Panjsher Institute inaugurated a library for its Sharia faculty with the support of RLS-Formal. RLS-Formal also worked closely with the Ministry of Justice to develop a web-based application for Afghanistan's legal code and to leverage the institution's public legal outreach campaigns by securing low-cost air time on radio stations. The project assisted members of the Afghan Women Judges Association to attend the 2013 Regional Conference of the International Association of Women Judges in New Zealand and conducted a gender justice training program for female students at Takhar University. The project's components focus on capacity building of the judiciary and court administrators. Component 1 aims to ensure fair, accountable, and transparent dispute resolution in the formal court system by strengthening the capacity of the judiciary. Component 2 focuses on capacity building of court administrators to provide professional court administrative services. The project's activities include training programs for judges, prosecutors, and court staff, as well as the development of a web-based application for Afghanistan's legal code. RLS-Formal also supports the development of the judicial Stage program, which aims to build the capacity of instructors to employ modern teaching techniques. The project provides technical, material, and financial support to students and instructors at the Stage to ensure that Afghanistan's newest judges possess appropriate training and skills to enter and excel at judicial service. The project's efforts aim to improve the quality of justice service delivery at the anti-corruption tribunals through practical training activities for judges and prosecutors. The project's activities have a positive impact on the rule of law system in Afghanistan. For example, Judge Sardar Mohammad, a judge at the Public Security Division of the Appellate Court in Logar province, attended a training program on anti-corruption laws and courtroom procedures. He learned the importance of hearing cases within the assigned time and later transferred the knowledge that he gained at the training program to other judges and prosecutors when he returned to Logar. The project's efforts aim to increase public confidence in the government's commitment to fight corruption and enforce the rule of law.