Project Description:

Due to historic abuses and the damage caused by the war, today there is little public trust in Liberia’s justice system and very little capacity.  This project focuses on underserved rural areas to develop capacity by establishing a transitional mechanism of Community Legal Advisors and by educating all citizens (including traditional leaders) about their rights and obligations under the law.

Peacebuilding Impact:

A working and responsive local justice system that historically marginalized demographics can use and trust.

Outputs and Key Activities:

Outputs:

1. CLAs function in 8 target counties.
2. 16 hours of workshop consultations on the rule of law for an average of 100 traditional leaders in each of the 8 target counties.
3. 84,000 citizens educated on the rule of law.
4. 1,520 hours of radio programming conducted in 8 target counties.
5. CSO partners meet quarterly with the Ministry of Justice and other relevant ministries.  (Oct., and Dec., 2008, March, June, and Sept., Dec. 2009).
6. County-level dialogues held in two regions (northwest and southeast) with the full range of rural justice stakeholders, including MOJ, MIA and other interested government partners.
7. Office space is provided for the National Traditional Council.

Key Activities:

1. 1 CLA office established in each of 8 target counties.
2. 2 CLAs operating in each CLA office.
3. 4 additional CLAs in each of Bong, Lofa, and Nimba conduct mobile clinics; 4 additional CLAs conduct mobile clinics in the southeast.
4. The total of 32 CLAs receive regular oversight and direction from the Carter Center/UNHCR and other partners.
5. CSO partners in two target counties - where the Center does not currently work – are trained.
6. 2 hours of radio programming/messaging airing weekly in each of 8 target counties on 11 radio stations.
7. 4 hours of radio programs conducted weekly through 2 national stations (2 hours on each station).
8. 100 community/village legal education events held in each of six counties where the Carter Center currently operates, and 150 community/village level legal education events held in 2 expansion counties.
9. 2-day rule of law workshop consultations conducted for traditional leaders in each target county.
10. Establish an office space for the National Traditional Council.
11. Two county-level dialogues held. One in the northwest and one in the southeast with the full range of rural justice stakeholders, including MOJ, MIA and other interested government partners.
12. 6 CSO consultations with the Ministry of Justice and other relevant ministries:  Oct., Dec., 2008, and March, June, Sept., Dec., 2009.

Indicator and Benchmarks:

Indicators of the Peacebuilding Impact are the follow

-   Effective traditional, formal, and informal dispute resolution options are present, accepted, accessible, and used.

-   Public perception of the justice system improves.

-   The number of resolved justice disputes increases.

Benchmarks are detailed in Annex 2.5