Strengthening the Rule of Law in South Sudan
Part VII of the 2011 Transitional Constitution of South Sudan (TCSS) confirms the Judiciary of South Sudan as an independent institution for the administration of justice in the country. The TCSS further details the structure of the Supreme Court, Courts of Appeal, High Court, County Courts and local authorities across the country. In addition to the Judiciary, several other actors are involved in upholding the rule of law in South Sudan, including justice-sector stakeholders, the bar association, the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, and the Transitional National Legislative Assembly, amongst others.
Nevertheless, several years of violent conflict, both until 2005 and since 2013, have greatly impacted upon the rule of law structures in South Sudan. There is not enough understanding of the proper application of the rule of law and assigned roles and processes; statutory courts face a trust deficit from the citizens; a number of laws are in need of review, as a result of requirements under the 2015 Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan; and the structures set out in statutory documents frequently do not fully reflect the realities in practice.
In cooperation with the rule of law and justice sectors in South Sudan, and with the financial support of the European Union, the Max Planck Foundation is implementing a project to provide technical assistance and legal capacity building to key rule of law actors. Selected stakeholders include the Judiciary, the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, the Transitional National Legislative Assembly, and various other justice sector stakeholders (the bar association, lawyers and academia).
The overall objective of this project is to increase the understanding and ability of actors on key principles of the rule of law including constitutional mandates, assigned roles, and legislative and constitutional drafting processes. By so doing, the project aims to improve the rule of law landscape in South Sudan, thereby contributing to its development as a stable and peaceful country.
Funding
European Union
Duration
5 December 2017 – 4 December 2020
Local Partners
- Supreme Court of South Sudan
News Items
Delivery of 2011 Law Reports to South Sudan
Supporting the Publication of Laws in South Sudan
Official Handover of First Ever Law Reports of South Sudan
Workshop on Constitutional Adjudication Conducted for the Justices of the Supreme Court and Courts of Appeal of South Sudan
Second and Third Guest Lectures at the University of Juba, South Sudan
First Workshop for the South Sudan Law Review Commission
Extension of Fair Trial Trainings for the Ministry of Justice of South Sudan
First Guest Lecture at the University of Juba, South Sudan
Workshop on Principles of Judgment Writing Conducted for Lower Courts of South Sudan
Max Planck Foundation Initiates Assistance to the College of Law, University of Juba
Max Planck Foundation Holds Workshop on Fair Trial Standards
Max Planck Foundation Initiates Cooperation with the South Sudan Law Review Commission
Workshop on Comparative Analysis of Legal Systems with High Courts and County Courts of South Sudan
Max Planck Foundation and South Sudan Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs Launch Cooperation
Max Planck Foundation Signs Memorandum of Understanding with the Judiciary of South Sudan
Max Planck Foundation Renews Cooperation with the South Sudan Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs
Workshop on Introduction to International Criminal Law for Judges of the High Courts and County Courts of South Sudan
Workshop on Mechanisms of Transitional Justice for Lower Courts of South Sudan
Workshop on War Crimes in International Criminal Law
Contact
Dr Kathrin Maria Scherr
Email:
Phone: +49 (0)6221 91404 34
(See full profile)
Dr Nneka Okechukwu
Email:
Phone: +49 (0)6221 91404 35
(See full profile)