WHAT WE DO
- Promote a holistic approach to justice delivery and administration that ensures equitable, affordable and relevant access to justice for all.
- Ensure quality and innovative justice service delivery that meets the requirements of all users, especially the poor, marginalised and excluded.
- Encourage African states’ efforts to strengthen capacity for the improvement of justice delivery by promoting linkages, synergies, complementarity and collaboration between service providers of legal education, legal empowerment, legal assistance and legal aid.
- Encourage citizens and users of justice services to actively and effectively advocate for stronger collaboration and synergies between community justice initiatives, the judiciary, and the broader administration of justice processes.
- Promote the ethical values inherent in the activities of public service agents and other service providers to ensure transparent service delivery in the justice sector.
- Encourage the harmonisation of policies and procedures related to community justice and the broader public service and administration of justice among African States to promote regional and continental integration.
- Strengthen cooperation among African states, regional economic communities and the international community to improve the collaboration between community justice initiatives, the judiciary and the broader justice administration systems.
- Encourage the exchange of experiences and best practices to create a database of information within African states and at the continental level.
MANDATE
The African Centre of Excellence for Access to Justice was established by its founding members with the following goals in mind:
- Assume a convening role that allows its members, African judiciaries, legal professionals and other justice sector institutions to renew relationships, share experiences, rekindle the spirit of being involved in a common purpose and, develop transformational collaborations.
- Build strong cross-sector alliances and serve as a linking or bridging agency between different social sectors and role players within the justice sector.
- Lead in showcasing how to create broad alliances and strengthen relationships between and amongst community justice institutions, judiciary, legal profession, policymakers, donors, public and private sector and individuals.
- Provide a platform for partnering for social justice and policy advocacy within countries, between countries and across the continent.
- Build strong government partnerships to leverage resources for participatory, holistic and inclusive access to justice. Provide ‘thought leadership’ by contributing to the over-arching debates about access to justice regionally and globally. In this regard, ACE-AJ seeks to foster ongoing discussions of various access to justice issues, as well as the development of new ideas, paradigms, and innovative ways of working.
- Catalyze the growth of a new movement of African paralegals/community advice offices committed to inclusive, participatory and holistic approaches to access to justice that leads to sustainable human development.
PROGRAMMES
The African Centre of Excellence for Access to Justice has identified key areas for its interventions for the next three (3) years.
Capacity Building
Research and Knowledge Generation
Advocacy and Communication
Continental campaigns and networking