and procedural areas according to their individual needs. 45 local trainers and RTT members have designed, facilitated and/or a significant amount of this training. training activities. Programme Purpose: To support PICs to enhance the professional competence of judicial officers and court officers, and the processes and systems that they use. PICs are independently implementing tools and methodologies for continued with results shared between the region's Chief Justices. PICs have tools and methodologies to continue and preliminary results are presented to the PEC. PICs have: no common set of indicators to assess court performance or performance enhancement models to transpose, no regional governance mechanisms to institutionalise judicial development or manage internal governance / ethics, an unquantified number of marginalised prospective court users and a significant number of lay judicial officers. PICs have a common set of indicators to assess court performance and a regional approach to institutionalise judicial development. Three PICs have codes to manage internal governance/ethics. There remain an unquantified number of marginalised prospective court users and some of the significant number of lay judicial officers has received training. Pilot PICs are, with some assistance, implementing and practicing the use of tools and methodologies, and independent implementation of these tools is yet to be realised. Pilot PICs are developing, implementing or practising the use of tools and methodologies to continue efforts. Quality/perceptions of benefit of: 1. PIC court coordinating with informal justice systems. 2. Communication and sharing of experience with other PICs through PJDP activities. 3. Judicial conduct structures. 4. Performance monitoring and programming actions to improve performance. 5. Case process and documentation of process. 6. Planning and delivery by local actors Stakeholders' surveys / interviews conducted by NCs. MSC improvement improvement
of needs-based training and provision of resources. 1.0 Access to Justice Up to two PICs better addressing broader justice needs, and up to five PICs responding more competently to family/ juvenile justice issues Preliminary results in at least one PIC about: strengthened planning for improving accessibility of justice and improved competence to manage family/ juvenile cases Inadequate data about informal justice service providers (and low levels of know-how) to enable judicial leadership to assess, plan and direct an integrated process of in/formal justice services. There is disharmony between in/formal justice systems in the region 2012 Baseline: Judicial officers are not aware of and/ or not appropriately responding to family violence and juvenile justice issues which are pervasive across the region. A poor response to these issues undermines appropriate access to Data is known about informal justice service providers in three PICs but otherwise, low levels of know-how to enable judicial leadership to assess, plan and direct an integrated process for improving access to justice is being addressed in Tuvalu with the development of an Access to Justice plan. From this experience, a toolkit of resources was developed and made available to all PICs enabling them to improve access to justice. There continues to be disharmony between in/formal justice systems in the region, but this is being addressed with the Tuvalu pilot and there is opportunity to address it in all PICs with the Access to Justice Toolkit that was disseminated. Three PICs have been recipients of workshops and/or monitoring visits to improve their competence to respond to family/juvenile issues. Implementation of activities in two PICs is being scheduled for early 2014 to address priority issues and broader justice needs - in one PIC through the Enabling Rights Project and in one PIC through the Public Information Project. There is scope for additional Access to Justice activities and support at the request of individual PICs through the Responsive Fund mechanism. Access to Justice plan developed in selected PICs (based on demand via the Responsive Fund) enabling the integration of justice services; improved competence to respond to family / juvenile issues and other priority issues and improvements in public awareness of rights/remedies and in judicial responses to priority justice needs. Number and quality of Access to Justice Plans; quality of toolkit and number of PICs it is implemented in; perceived improvements in competence to respond to family violence, youth justice and other priority justice needs. Access to Justice Plan. TA
justice for vulnerable groups 1.1 Access to Justice (formerly Customary Dispute Resolution) Project To support at selected PICs to systematically address community dispute resolution needs. One integrated in/formal justice system planning workshop conducted using preliminary research data and providing technical inputs into integrated planning. No evidence-based strategy exists to integrate in/formal justice systems in the region. An evidence-based strategy exists which articulates the benefits to governance and the rule of law of stronger linkages between in/formal justice systems in the region. The strategy has been developed by PJDP and approved by the PEC. The Access to Justice plan and toolkit enabling other PICs to forge stronger links with informal dispute resolution actors and improve access to justice (the strategy) was piloted in Tuvalu, and subsequently made available to all PICs. Further activities under the Access to Justice Project will be implemented at the request of an individual PIC via the Responsive Fund mechanism, and ongoing support given to the pilot PIC (Tuvalu) to implement the toolkit (as requested). The Regional Access to Justice Planning Toolkit implemented in interested PICs using the Responsive Fund mechanism enabling Access to Justice Plans to be developed and implemented. Quality of Access to Justice Plan particularly their incorporation of community dispute resolution needs. Access to Justice Plans / RF reports. TA Number of PICs the Toolkit is implemented to. 1.2 Enabling Rights Project Claim(s) of previously unmet legal needs are brought to, and resolved by, the courts in at least one PIC. NA Baseline 2013: courts do not promote equal access to or focus on being responsive to the needs of the citizens they serve. As a result, there is a plethora of unmet justice needs within the community. NA Pending - The first visit to Nauru is scheduled to occur in February 2014. A methodology enabling those seeking justice to access available remedies is developed, piloted and adopted in one PIC. Quality of toolkit for promoting justice for beneficiaries. Toolkit and TA/PIC reports. TA/PIC Percentage increase in claims made to courts for remedies focussed on during the pilot.
1.3 Family Violence and Juvenile Justice Project Up to five PICs responding as a sector, more holistically and competently to family/juvenile justice issues. Improvements in competence to manage family/juvenile issues in two PICs. 2012 Baseline: Judicial and court officers are not aware of and/or not appropriately responding to family violence and juvenile justice issues which are pervasive across the region and the poor responses to these issues undermines appropriate access to justice for vulnerable groups. Family Violence and Youth Justice workshops were held in two PICs to improve their competence to manage family/juvenile issues. 40 participants attended a workshop in Palau and 35 attended a workshop in Vanuatu, both of which were reportedly high quality, practical, relevant and useful. Participants assessed improvements in awareness, knowledge, skills and attitudes related to relevant issues, law, contemporary practice and procedure and MOUs were signed at the conclusion of both workshops to promote improvements in family / domestic violence law, practice and procedure and commitment made to develop diversionary processes for juveniles. Workshops were held in two PICs to improve their competence and response to family/juvenile justice issues. One PIC received a monitoring visit to follow-up on and further strengthen competence to deal with these issues. 48 participants attended a workshop in Tonga and 42 attended a workshop in Samoa. At both workshops participants reported an increase in confidence and demonstrated improvements in awareness, knowledge, skills and attitudes related to the relevant issues, law, contemporary practice and procedure. Both workshops produced a compilation of objectives that organisations in attendance are to pursue to increase their coordination and collaboration, as well as jointly improve their response to family/juvenile justice issues. Revision of the draft Family Violence and Youth Justice toolkit Improvements in awareness, knowledge, skills, attitudes relating to relevant issues, law, contemporary practice and procedure in up to two additional PICs and increased cooperation, coordination and collaboration between stakeholder agencies to address relevant issues. Number of judicial officers trained and quality of training, including relevance, usefulness, skills and knowledge gained. participant TA
where appropriate rather than the wheel to ensure and value for money. 2.0 Governance Greater judicial ownership of professional development across the region. Improvements in: judicial conduct and leadership; and local management and implementation of judicial development activities in up to four PICs. No CoJCs exist in the region based on and adapted from internationally recognised principles. No PIC driven or regionally coordinated options exist to enable ongoing judicial development regionally or lead/implement activities locally. Three CoJC exist in the region based on internationally recognised principles and a toolkit has been developed for other PICs to develop/revise codes. The toolkit has been piloted in one PIC. Improvements in judicial conducts have being assessed in 3 PICs; the results of which were captured in the activity completion report. PIC driven and regionally coordinated options to institutionalise judicial development have been developed and endorsed by the PEC. The MSC has analysed its experience implementing the PJDP and produced a lessons learned report which has been approved by the PEC. Evident through feedback, engagement and 33 approved Complaints Handling Toolkit is in the process of being developed, and approval has been received for the piloting of this Toolkit in at least one PIC. A set of leadership meetings for the PEC, CJs and NCs has been held, providing opportunities for engagement and contribution to the strategic direction of activities in the current extension period. 12 PICs have submitted applications for funding under the RF. There is an increasing opportunity for PICs to manage their own locally-driven development activities, with 15activities being approved. Continued improvements in standards of judicial leadership, integrity, programme management and implementation of local judicial development activities. Level of improvement in judicial conduct. by JO and CO user surveys. NC four PEC, three CJs and two NC meetings held, perceptions of quality of engagement by key stakeholders. Meeting reports and feedback. MSC All approved Responsive Fund activities achieve their objectives; are implemented on time and within budget with minimal assistance from the PJDP Team. NC reports and MSC confirmation. assessment
Responsive Fund activities; is increasing levels of leadership / implementation of local activities. One NC meeting and two PEC and CJ have been held since July 2012. 2.1 Codes of Judicial Conduct Project Interested PICs develop local statements regarding judicial integrity, appropriate judicial conduct, and strategies to address the growing demand for transparency and accountability; and establish procedures to receive, record, inquire into, and resolve complaints relating to judicial conduct. Improvements in judicial conduct emerging in 4 PICs attributable to the existence and use of a CoJC No CoJCs exist in the region that are based on and adapted from internationally recognised principles such as the Bangalore principles of judicial conduct. Three CoJC exist in the region based on internationally recognised principles. Improvements in judicial conduct in those PICs was assessed, the results of which were captured in the activity completion report. During the 18 month implementation phase, the CoJC TA recommended that it would be disadvantageous to develop a regional strategy for the development of harmonised CoJC, but instead provide a pathway, means and capacity for each PIC to develop its own CoJC based on local realities/ needs. This pathway has been developed and g piloted in 1 PIC. The outcome was a new CoJC in that PIC and a finalised toolkit which was disseminated to all PICs. A Complaints Handling Toolkit is in the process of being developed. Beyond the original target, approval has been received by the PEC to pilot this Toolkit in at least one PIC. Up to four PICs have a heightened awareness of judicial integrity, with the judiciary overall demonstrating adherence to appropriate standards of judicial conduct; complaints regarding judicial conduct are logged and dealt with in reasonable time. records identify the number of complaints received, the broad nature of the complaint, time taken between receipt and final resolution, outcome and action taken. Quality of CoJC and of local participation in their development. CoJC TA report & PEC/CJ assessment minuted. CoJC TA / MSC Heightened awareness of judicial integrity, and complaints regarding judicial conduct are logged and dealt with in reasonable time. by JO and CO user surveys. NC 2.2 Regional Governance and Leadership Meetings assessment
associated activities which achieve their aims. managed effectively and efficiently (including financial expenditure) by the MSC. 2.4 National Judicial Development Committee (NJDC) Project The capabilities of one PIC to strategically plan and manage local development are strengthened. One PIC has established NJDCs as a local mechanism to plan; assess, prioritise; and direct / lead local judicial development activities. NJDCs exist in some but not all PICs with varying membership, roles, focus and levels of engagement in local judicial development. A Regional NJDC toolkit has been developed and piloted in Samoa. The toolkit will provide a comprehensive framework, guidance, and support to all PICs seeking to re-enliven / further develop their NJDC and to more effectively plan for ongoing judicial and court development. Further refinement of the Toolkit has been undertaken following consultations at the leadership meetings. The refined Toolkit is to be disseminated to all PICs for local use. Pending - implementation of the Toolkit in at least one PIC scheduled for first half of 2014. A PIC can strategically plan and manage their local development programmes by operating development committees more effectively. MSC assistance to strengthen NJDCs is tailored to local context and needs. The number NJDCs operating and the quality of their contribution as key mechanisms for locally managed judicial development. TA reports. TA 3.0 Systems and Processes Courts’ capabilities to dispose of cases efficiently are improved in up to Two PICs are using PJDP facilitated Registry / Court plans developed to undertake reforms. Approaches to collecting and using judicial and court administration data for diagnosis A diagnosis of court administration needs for was completed in three PICs to inform a regional strategy which identifies shortcomings. Based Further refinements of the Time Standards Toolkit have been completed with implementation due in at least two PICs in the first half of 2014. Delay Reduction PICs better equipped to collect, use and report on judicial performance data and dispose of cases The level of progress made by up to three PICs implementing their development plans. TA reports. TAs
six PICs, and their ability to regularly report on performance is improved in up to six PICs. All PICs have: increased capacity to assess court performance; and have access to the tools need to enable them to increase transparency and accountability through the development of Annual Court Reports (problem identification) and treatment (local development plans) are inconsistent across the region. There is no judicial and court baseline data utilising a common set of indicators, regional strategy or local development plans in PICs to improve court operations (including registry systems and processes). thereon, local development plans were developed and approved in those 3 PICs including strategies to address identified shortcomings. Vanuatu is of its own volition progressing to implement its reform plan, with separate assistance from the MSC. Based on the most pressing need common to the diagnoses undertaken, a toolkit has been developed and piloted in one PIC to establish efficient case disposal time standards. The toolkit was disseminated to all PICs. Annual judicial and court baseline data was collected in 14 PICs using a common set of 14 indicators developed for PJDP. The framework was approved by the PEC. There is clarity as to the status quo of court performance across the region with second year trend data presented and published in the 2012 Trend Report. In addition a toolkit has been developed and has been piloted in Tokelau to publish performance data among Toolkit has been piloted in one PIC. Annual reporting toolkit has been implemented in six PICs via the Court Annual Reporting Workshop, and ongoing support is given to those PICs to publish annual reports. Interaction with 14 PICs occurred remotely at the leadership meeting to continue the collection of court performance data, as part of working towards the 2013-2014 Trend Report. efficiently. The comprehensiveness of court data across multiple indicators being collected and reported on annually and the number of participating PICs. Promulgation of case disposal time standards and the number of PICs they are promulgated in.
training and of improvements in performance following the training are scheduled. 4.1 Regional Training Capacity Every PIC continues to have access to one or more certified trainer(s) able to assess needs, design and deliver training to judicial and court officers Every PIC has access to a certified trainer able to assess needs, design and deliver training to judicial and court officers As at July 2010 there are 23 accredited judicial educators in 10 PICs, no Regional Training Team and no PIC-tailored ToT training programme. Five ToT programmes have been conducted (one more than anticipated) for 55 people in addition to 1 refresher workshops (as anticipated). 18 of those receiving training since July 2012. A tailor-made ToT was designed for the Pacific. Acknowledging changes in skill and knowledge attributable to the training, 35 participants were certified as competent to become members of the Regional Training Team and 20 were certified The capacity of 20 RTT members to manage and conduct regional and local training was built at the advanced-level RTT workshop, as well as their confidence and ability to develop curricula and deliver training. Each of the 20 RTTs that attended will deliver training programs within their courts before March 2014 as a one-day training activity to reinforce their ability to assess needs, design and deliver training to judicial and court officers. The RTT is replenished with qualified trainers. Participants attaining an appropriate level of competence are certified to deliver training regionally/ locally, and perceptions of participants of the quality of the training / programme including RTT co-facilitation of ToT. ToT TA report including participants' evaluations and TAs evaluation of knowledge / skills, TA/RTT Number of local trainer-led training programmes RTT reports including participants'
competent to deliver training locally. 35 members of the RTT have co-facilitated five workshops. Eleven of 13 capacity building RF activities were facilitated by members of the RTT (demonstrating behavioural change attributable to ToT training). One PIC independently conducted a capacity building activity facilitated by a member of the RTT. RTT members have shared training resources and methodologies, and have an ongoing opportunity to sustain this exchange, as well as receive additional support via the regional mentoring network that was established for RTT members. designed/delivered locally and participants' perception of quality. evaluations and TA reports, Capacity of the RTT to manage and conduct regional and local training is built. TA RTT members have an opportunity to share training resources and methodologies. Frequency of interaction between RTT members to share resources and methodologies. RTT members more confident disposed and able to deliver training locally. Quality and quantity of interaction between network members. A regional network of RTT members established and supported. 4.2 Core Judicial Development Project 75% of Judicial and court officers report increased confidence following training workshops, and RTT members are more experienced and able to deliver training regionally and locally. Judicial officers report 25% increase in competence as a result of attending workshop Judicial officers in PICs have not received Regional orientation and decision-making training since the cessation of PJDP Phase 1 in June 2008. Data about links between judicial orientation training and performance do 75 Judicial/court officers have received orientation (34) and decision-making training (41) and assessment of improvements in performance following the training will be undertaken progressively. Pending - The next round of Decision-Making Training will be completed in February 2014 (Vanuatu), with 18 lay and 13 law judicial officers undertaking training. 5 RTT members are the training. Enhanced competence of 20-30 newly-appointed lay judicial officers. Perceptions of the quality of the training. Participants' / TA evaluation TA Follow-up to Phase 2/ Extension Phase Orientation Training: participants' and TA assessment of whether they perform their functions more competently as a result of the training. facilitating
tangible benefits to PIC courts and which expends 90% of the approved budget. 100% of approved activities along with three additional activities All activities under the 12-month Extension Phase were completed to a high standard with 93.7% of the budget expended. Formalisation of this reallocation is pending. Expenditure projections for the whole contract period indicate that all activities will be delivered with 90% of funds likely to be expended by June 2015. collaborative and responsive programming and implementation, and the transparent administration of PJDP resources. Quality of logistics and progress reporting to enable activities to be implemented on time and within budget. Progress reports. MSC Quality of incorporation of issues (gender, human rights, sustainability) into appropriate activities. Comprehensive and accurate, reporting (narrative and financial reporting) completed and submitted by MSC to MFAT on time. Strategies to incorporate cross-cutting issues. MSC TA progress and completion reports. MSC Reports (narrative and financial) All TAs MSC