| Rule of Law
Programme
With the onset of the political
pluralism in the country, every effort has been made to improve human rights standards and
justice systems.
With the aim to sustain
democratic principles in the country, the British Council conducted a study in 1996 which
identified lack of adequate human resources to implement the functions of the different
mandated to promote justice and good governance as barrier to achieve the above aim.
Thus there was urgent need for
capacity building to support the democratization and human rights in Malawi.
Hence the European Union under
the European Development Fund (EDF) introduced the Promotion of the Rule of Law and
Improvement of Justice Programme, initiated in 1998. It was originally a three-year
programme but it was later extended to thrid and fourth EDF.
Objectives:
The Rule of Law programme was
based on the aim to providing key public legal institutions with assistance to facilitate
acquisition of essential technical/legal and managerial skills and material resources.
Specific Objectives:
Enhance Law Reform
Promote law reform through
strengthening the newly established Law Commission and Facilitate Revision of outdated
Laws;
Implement Penal Reform
Enhance the quality and speed of
justice through the improvement in the quality and management of the state prosecution and
defence services in the High Court and the Magistrates. Promote Human Rights through the
reform of the Prison Management System.
Improve Legal Infrastructure:
Strengthen the Institutions by
increasing skills and updating trained personnel by improving the training capacity of the
Faculty of Law, training paralegal Officers and Lay-magistrates, provide short
courses/seminars and attachments to other institutions in the region and Internationally.
Provide support to Legal System through Improvements in the institutional functions,
Management and Information Systems, Student/Trainees and lectures through provision of
Information Technology equipment, textbooks and reference materials and internet
facilities.
Enhance Civic Awareness
Improve Public Information on
Good Governance, Human Rights and Access to Justice through Civic Education and other
information Sharing Systems.
Beneficiary Institutions
This Programme targeted justice
institutions only i.e. the Ministry of Justice, the Judiciary, the Law Faculty, the Law
Commission and the Malawi Prison Service. It also included other Ancillary Beneficiary
Institutions viz the Anti Corruption Bureau, the National Compensation Tribunal and the
National Archives.
The Malawi
Prison Service
The Prison Service need to
upgrade Prison Management and Physical facilities and Structures as well as improve
Treatment of Prisoners and Promote Human Rights.
Accordingly, the Rule of Law
Programme aimed at introducing reforms in the Prison Systems through improvements in
Policy and Procedures, the quality of Staff, enhanced self-sufficiency and improved
Welfare Services.
The Programme comprised of
Maintenance of Prison Structures and Upgrading Medical Facilities and Services to improve
the living conditions especially for juveniles and other vulnerable groups and ease of
congestions in the Prisons
Promoting Human Rights for
inmates through the review of the Prison Act and Establishment of improved Standing Orders
and Regulations.
For
Achievement Click [HERE]
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