Support to Local Council Courts in the conflict affected districts of Uganda
Background
More than twenty years of conflict have wreaked socio-economic destruction in northern Uganda. The diverse and often violent experiences of armed conflict, massive displacements resulting in the disruption of family and community life, and damage to social values and customary practices have all contributed to tearing the social fabric in these parts of the country.
Improving service delivery to the people, as envisaged in the National Policy for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), has been given paramount attention by the Government of Uganda, with support from development partners.
The current project is structured on the premise that enhancing already existing avenues of access to justice for the people at the local level would help in realizing the development objectives envisaged in the policy.
Access to formal justice has become very expensive, inaccessible and time consuming, since services are confined to towns and municipalities alone, for security reasons. Disputes at family and community level are being handled in a traditional manner in Local Council courts (LCCs ) which are the courts of first instance for most rural and periurban communities.
Access to justice is hence a challenge that most rural communities face - especially those living in IDP camps. For instance, Pabbo Camp in Gulu District has 8 policemen for a population of more than 60,000 people and the nearest formal court is an hour away in Gulu town.
IDPs are now slowly returning to their homes and this has created the challenge of the LC’s preparedness for returnees issues. Hence there is the need for this project to provide the intended training.
Development objectives
The project objective is to initiate enhancement of the capacity of the Local Council Courts I and II to administer justice in conflict affected districts. The overall output of the project is to have functioning Local Council Courts at LCI and LCII levels in the 5 districts of Gulu, Kitgum, Pader, Lira and Apach.
Three guiding principles govern the strategy:
(i) support to enhancement of decentralization processes and systems in the country in regard to administration of justice
(ii) strategic positioning of UNDP/UNCDF in the broad area of justice based on the previous work done under the DDPII and being in line with the UNDAF and UNDP Country Programme
(iii) policy alignment/contribution to attaining MDGs, PEAP, JLOS investment plan and the Local Government Sector Investment Plan at local level
As already mentioned, Local Councils I and II have emerged as key players in the dispensation of justice at the local level. The project will therefore support good local governance with a special focus on Local Council Courts at the lower local governments, i.e., the village and parish levels.
Key activities & expected results
production of a revised trainer’s manual and LCC guides in English, Acholi, and Langi
production of popular versions in English, translation (into Langi and Acholi), and printing of: the Constitution, the Children’s Act, the Penal code, the Land Act, the National Policy on Internally Displaced Persons, the Executive Committee/Local Council Act, and guides
development and dissemination of information, education, and communications materials into English, Acholi and Langi
training of trainers in the 5 districts at district and sub-county level from local governments and United Nations Volunteers
general legal and human rights awareness for people living in the camps
training of Local Council members on how to use the guides and manuals in the dispensation of justice
monitoring, documentation, and dissemination of best practices on human rights and legal awareness education
Government protects and promotes human rights effectively in accordance with national, regional, international law, and treaties
access to justice improved for IDPs and other conflict affected people
functioning LCCs and increased awareness of human rights in local communities by Ministry of Local Government (MoLG)
