Judicial Reform Handbook Project: January 2007-December 2008

The initial activity being undertaken by the APJRF is the development of a judicial reform publication. The volume will be practical in focus, developing know-how based on the analysis of actual and relevant reform experiences from within the region.

The APJRF has received funding from the United Nations Democracy Fund, and will implement the Judicial Reform Handbook project in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme regional mission in Bangkok as executing agency. The Handbook will be developed through the collaboration of member countries over the next two years. By promoting the direct participation of members in the design and development of the Handbook, relevance to individual country’s judicial reform initiatives will be promoted.

At the commencement of the project, the APJRF Secretariat requested all members to assist in developing a list of potential judicial reform topics for inclusion in the proposed publication. Members participating in the Kuala Lumpur round table meeting prioritised the identified topics in light of which if these were of the most immediate relevance to them. In this way, the publication’s content was defined, and now includes:

• Chapter 1: Development and Implementation of Reform Initiatives to ensure Effective Judiciaries.
• Chapter 2: Promoting Access to Justice through Judicial Reforms.
• Chapter 3: Ethics, Integrity and Judicial Accountability.
• Chapter 4: Case Management Reform.
• Chapter 5: Judicial Education and Skills Development for Judges and Court Staff.

Nine authors were identified following a regional selection process, are contributing to the publication. These contributors are senior judges, court administrators, lawyers, scholars and representatives of civil society from across the region. An ‘issues-based’ approach to drafting was adopted to ensure that chapters are focussed around selected key messages informed by the chapter authors’ practical reform experience.

A number of core concepts, grounded upon the philosophy articulated in the Manila Declaration, underpin the publication - that it is to:

• Promote standards of justice established in international instruments.
• Describe our actual experiences of common challenges.
• Create a practical tool for exchanging learning and use by each other.
• Empower and enable reform actors throughout the justice system.
• Contribute to developing a shared vision across the region.

Through this, the publication will have the potential to offer a rich spectrum of know-how and practical learning for those engaged in the critical quests for justice, protection of human rights and the promotion of good governance across the Asia Pacific region.

For further information, contact Lorenz Metzner, Network Facilitator, at lorenzmetzner@lycos.com.

Additional Project Information:

Project Board - overseeing the development of the publication as the member’s representatives, and peer reviewers:

• Justice Antonio T CARPIO: Supreme Court of the Philippines (Chair.)
• Senior Judge Zhang GENDA: Supreme People’s Court of China.
• Justice Kenneth HAYNE: High Court of Australia.
• Dr Faqir HUSSAIN: Secretary, Law and Justice Commission of Pakistan.
• Chief Justice Vincent LUNABEK: Supreme Court of Vanuatu.
• Mr. R. SUDARSHAN: Justice and Law Reform Advisor, UNDP Regional Centre Bangkok.
• Justice Phattarasak VANNASAENG: Supreme Court of Thailand.

Peer Reviewers:

• Fr. Ranhilio AQUINO: Chair, PHILJA Department of Jurisprudence and Legal Philosophy.
• D'ato Param CUMARASWAMY: Honorary Member, International Commission of Jurists.
• Ms. Lynnsay RONGOKEA FRANCIS: Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development.
• Ms. Sara Hossain: Judicial Reform Expert, Bangladesh.
• Mr. Warwick SODEN: Principal Registrar and Chief Executive Officer, Federal Court of Australia.

Chapter Authors:

• Chapter 1 - Dr. Mohan GOPAL: Director, National Judicial Academy, Bhopal, India.
  
• Chapter 2 -
  • Ms. Ayesha DIAS: Program Director, HR & International Natural Resources Industry and Corporate Social Responsibility, University of Dundee, Scotland.
  • Ms. Anita JOWITT: Lecturer, School of Law, University of the South Pacific, Vanuatu.
    
• Chapter 3 -
  • Prof. Myrna FELICIANO: Professor and consultant to the Supreme Court of the Philippines.
  • Mr. Hari PHUYAL: International Commission of Jurists (Nepal.)
    
• Chapter 4 -
  • Judicial Reform Team, Supreme Court of Indonesia: Prof. Dr. Paulus LOTULUNG: Deputy Chief Justice, Supreme Court of Indonesia and Chairman of the Judicial Reform Team, Mr. Rifqi ASSEGAF: is the Executive Director of Indonesian Institute for the Judicial Independence, Mrs Wiwiek AWIATI: Senior Consultant for Judiciary Reform at the Supreme Court Judicial Reform Team Office; and Mr Aria SUYUDI: Program Director of the Indonesian Center for Law & Policy Studies.
  • Hon. Zenaida ELEPANO: Supreme Court Administrator and Professor, Philippines Judicial Academy, and Retired Judge.
    
• Chapter 5 -
  • Justice Sathavy KIM: Supreme Court of Cambodia and former Director Royal School for Judges and Prosecutors; and Mr. Tayseng LY: General Secretary of the Cambodia Bar Association, Royal School for Judges and Prosecutors, Faculty.
  • Hon. Dr. Ananda BHATTARAI: Justice Appellate Court (Nepal), National Judicial Academy, Core Faculty.

Project Facilitation and Review Team:

• Mr. Livingston Armytage: APJRF Technical Editor.
• Mr. Lorenz Metzner: APJRF Network Facilitator.
• Ms. Emilia Mugnai: Programme Specialist, Justice and Human Rights, UNDP RCB.