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ABA Rule of Law Initiative Africa News

Individual Donor Provides Scholarships to Female Congolese Law Students

Thanks to the support of an individual donor, the ABA Rule of Law Initiative (ABA ROLI) began a scholarship program for female Congolese law students in October 2011. After viewing the mini-documentary about ABA ROLI’s work in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the donor was moved to give to ABA ROLI, with the express intent of providing scholarships to female law students. Read more »»

Malian Program to Combat Descent-Based Slavery Gains Momentum

Ouleymatou*, a Malian woman who lived the majority of her life as a slave, describes how she was inherited by her master when his mother died. She lived in her master’s camp, herding his camels and doing other menial chores without compensation. Read more »»

ABA ROLI Re-Launches Its Uganda Program to Continue the Fight Against Human Trafficking

Human trafficking is a long-standing problem in Uganda that has affected tens of thousands of people. Trafficking victims are sold to, or abducted by, traffickers and exploited as sex workers and laborers. More recently, there are more frequent occurrences of human trafficking for purpose of organ removal. To address this phenomenon, the ABA Rule of Law Initiative (ABA ROLI) re-launched its Uganda program in October 2011. Read more »»

Liberia’s New Magistrates Are Committed to Increasing Public Confidence in the Judiciary

Public confidence in Liberia’s courts is about to experience a boost, as more than 60 new magistrates—all trained with the help of the ABA Rule of Law Initiative (ABA ROLI)—are slated to take up their posts in the coming months. Most of the new magistrates are appointed to the country’s outlying regions where citizen interaction with the judicial system can be limited. Despite public perception, the new magistrates are optimistic in the face of the challenges ahead of them. Read more »»

In The News: Mobile Courts in Congo

ABA ROLI’s mobile court program in the Democratic Republic of Congo was covered in several media outlets in November. In “On Rape’s Front Line,” the Times Live (South Africa) discusses our Open Society Institute for Southern Africa-funded access to justice program and how it combats impunity for rape crimes and offers counseling to rape survivors. The Economist cites that our mobile gender courts are both effective and a good value for the money in its November 26 piece, “Cosy club or sword of righteousness?”

ABA ROLI Strives to Address Wider Women’s Rights Issues in the Democratic Republic of Congo

As part of its efforts to defend and promote women’s rights in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the ABA Rule of Law Initiative (ABA ROLI) promotes a better understanding of and support for women’s rights through trainings for health care professionals, female leaders of community organizations and judicial police officers. Read more »»

Video: Liberlii Project Brings Open Access to Liberian Laws

Anti-Slavery Program Launched in Mali

More than 100 Malian government and civil society representatives attended a May 21 conference in Bamako that launched the ABA Rule of Law Initiative’s (ABA ROLI’s) program to combat descent-based, or hereditary, slavery. ABA ROLI is partnering with the Malian anti-slavery organization Temedt to combat this practice by operating a legal clinic, by offering psychological and vocational assistance to victims and by conducting community outreach to raise awareness of the problem. Read more »»

Audio: New Legal Information System to Provide Free Access to Liberian Laws

ABA ROLI Country Director in Liberia Kevin George talks about ABA ROLI's efforts to make free online access to legal information available to all Liberians. Listen to the 9-minute clip »»

Liberian Program Supports Unified Curriculum and Course Materials

Late last year, the ABA Rule of Law Initiative (ABA ROLI), with support from the U.S. Agency for International Development and in partnership with the Louis Arthur Grimes School of Law, initiated a program to support law professors’ professionalism. The faculty fellowship program provides faculty—all of whom work part-time at the law school—additional compensation and technical assistance to develop instruction materials, unified curriculum and effective teaching methodologies. Read more »»