By Tokpa M. Tarnue tarnue82@gmail.com
Voinjama, Liberia– As part of efforts to strengthen the justice system of the Country, over 60 traditional leaders from across Lofa County in northwestern Liberia have benefitted from a training program in access to justice held by The Carter Center in Liberia.
According to the Carter Center’s Senior Program Manager Johnny K.M Ndebe, the training is aimed at Strengthening the Capacity of Traditional Leaders to Advance and Implement Good Governance and Community Justice Practices in Liberia.
He said the Carter Center’s Access to Justice Program which is being implemented in eight of Liberia’s fifteen Counties is being sponsored by the government of Sweden and the United States Agency for International Development the (USAID).
Some topics covered at the training included legal presentation on fundamental rights, overview of Liberia’s Justice System, Judicial and Criminal Justice System of Liberia, Experience Sharing on community governance and conflict resolutions practices and Conflict Resolution Best Practices.
Others are: the Domestic Relations Law of Liberia to include Child Custody and Child Support, Sexual and Gender Based Violence Causes and Prevention, the Role of Traditional Leaders in Local Governance, Advocacy, Representation and Dispute Resolution.
Mr. Ndebe said for more than 10 years, The Carter Center has worked to build peace and prevent violence by helping the government ensure justice for all Liberians, not just those who can afford it.
He said at the end of the war in 2003, the justice system was in ruins and its credibility in tatters.
“A lack of human, material, and financial resources severely hampered the administration and delivery of justice which is a critical element of Liberia’s long-term reconstruction, therefore, has been to re-establish the rule of law and rebuild trust in government,” the Carter Center official noted.
For justice to be served, citizens must understand and exercise their rights, and those who administer justice must be properly trained, equipped and resourced, Mr. Ndebe said.
He disclosed that at the invitation of the government, The Carter Center has since 2006 been implementing its Access to Justice Project in order to help address these critical needs, particularly focusing on historically marginalized rural communities.
According to him, in the immediate aftermath of the war, the Access to Justice Project partnered with the Ministry of Justice to identify rural justice needs, develop and implement civic education messages, and fill immediate short-term gaps to strengthen the formal justice system.
“Over time, this innovative project has expanded, partnering with government and civil society to deliver sustained impact and that it currently works to strengthen the quality and accessibility of justice and prevent violence,” Carter Center’s Senior Program Officer emphasized.