Within the framework of the project “Strengthening the Role of Non-Governmental Organisations in the Judicial Reform Process in Azerbaijan”, the Max Planck Foundation and its local project partner, the Law Society of Azerbaijan, are working with an expert group consisting of renowned Azerbaijani lawyers to conduct a baseline study on the current status quo of selected areas in the judicial reform process in Azerbaijan. The study examines structural challenges in the justice sector, the gender gap in the justice system, access to justice for vulnerable and marginalized groups, enhancement of access to justice through mediation as well as recent developments in fair trial rights. To gather input from the civil society on these topics, four online consultations were conducted with representatives from relevant NGOs in early November.
On 12 and 13 December, the Foundation met with its local project partner and the legal expert group in Baku in order to discuss and finalize the findings of the baseline study. The results of the baseline study were then presented to key actors in the judicial reform process in an online event to facilitate an open dialogue with selected representatives of civil society and important stakeholders in the judicial reform process in Azerbaijan.
The project is generously funded by the German Federal Foreign Office.