Dec 1, 1994
This report is an output based on the several consultation and seminar workshops organised by the ICJ and its Nepales section to assess the existing state of legal aid and legal literacy in the country.
This report aims to account for the situation in respect of legal aid scheme including the Twinning Programme implemented by the Nepal Bar Association in cooperation with the Norwegian Bar Association.
The report consists of six chapters. The first chapter outlines conceptual framework of legal aid with reference to
the place of legal aid in the international instruments. It also pinpoints some drawbacks of the court-oriented legal aid
system. The second chapter suggests for an emphasis on legal resources capability development as an alternate
approach to legal aid and legal literacy. The third, fourth and fifth chapters of the report takes a look at the evolution and existing system of legal aid in Nepal. The role of law campus, lawyers, Nepal Bar Association is briefly reviewed. The concluding chapter provides a list of suggestions and recommendations in the domain of legal aid and legal literacy scheme in Nepal.
Nepal-legal aid legal literacy scheme-report-1994-eng (full text in English, PDF)
Dec 1, 1994
This is the story of people everyone tried to forget. The matter has been raised before many fora, including those of the United Nations. Much has appeared on the subject in the media.
Sep 20, 1994
In September 1993 a training programme was held in Lahore, Pakistan, for persons working in children’s organizations in Asia. It was organised by the ICJ and the AGHS Law Associates, Lahore.
Aug 23, 1994 | News
The ICJ expresses its appreciation to the Commissioner of Elections of Sri Lanka for the invitation extended to it to send observers to the recently concluded parliamentary general elections.
The ICJ observers were its commissioners Justice Dorab Patel, former judge of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, Emeritus Chairman of the Pakistan Human Rights Commission and former Chief Chairman of the Pakistan Elections Commission; and Dato’ Param Cumaraswamy, UN Special Rapporteur on the Independence of the Judiciary and President of Lawasia.
They joined 42 international observers from 12 countries and their task was to assess and evaluate whether the elections had been free and fair. The ICJ Commissioners reported that they were “generally free and fair” except for the elections in the districts of Jaffna and Vanni.” The reason being that Jaffna and Vani, situated in the north of Sri Lanka, have been subjected to armed confrontation between the Sri Lanka security forces and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and, consequently, the government controls only 20% of the land in Jaffna. The observers reported that in both districts people had been subjected to extensive intimidation by an armed political group who also presented candidates for the election.
Elections throughout the 22 Electoral Districts of the country including Jaffna and Vanni proceeded on 16 August 1994. The observers stated that “the elections in those two districts were not only not free and unfair,” but that “the genuineness of the same elections is questionable.” They added, “We express our concern over the impact of the outcome of the elections in those districts on the outcome of the overall results of the General Elections.” The ICJ Commissioners nevertheless concluded that “otherwise the election had been conducted with the highest democratic standards in difficult circumstances” and expressed their great admiration to the electorate of Sri Lanka who turned out in large numbers.
Aug 1, 1994
In times of transition, the judiciary needs to be given special attention. This period is essential to restore the balance between the three state authorities, to empower the judiciary to become a separate and equal power. As such, it can fullfil its role as the main protector of human rights.
This third issue of the CIJL Yearbook contains:
- Editorial, by Mona Rishmawi
- Seminar on Judicial Functions and Independence in Cambodia: report of the seminar
- Seminar: towards an Independent Palestinian Judiciary, with the following documents:
- The Independence of the Judiciary and the Rule of Law, by Adama Dieng
- The Palestinian Courts and Human Rights, by Raji Sourani
- Legislative Protection o f Human Rights Norms, by Michael Ellman
- How to Build a Judiciary that Protects Human Rights, by Paul Gomez
- The Role of Lawyers and their Bar Associations, by F.S. Nariman
- Lawyers in the West Bank, by Ali Guzlan
- Lawyers in Gaza, by Fraih Abu Middien
- Basic Text: Resolution 1994/41 of the UN Commission establishing a Special Rapporteur on the Independence of the Judiciary
CIJL Yearbook-judiciary in transition-III-1994 -eng (full text in English, PDF)
CIJL Yearbook-judiciary in transition-III-1994 -fra (full text in French, PDF)
CIJL Yearbook-judiciary in transition-III-1994 -spa (full text in Spanish, PDF)
