American Bar Association, Rule of Law Initiative

The American Bar Association's Rule of Law Initiative (ABA ROll) is an international development program that promotes the rule of law by working with in-country partners to build sustainable institutions and societies that deliver justice. In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), ABA ROll collaborates closely with government and civil society partners to rebuild justice sector institutions and lay the foundations for rule of law that are necessary to foster sustainable peace. With previous Foundation support, ABA ROll developed and put in place a digital database of judicial case law in DRC's North Kivu Province concerning conflict-related sexual violence crimes. While the database is fully operational under government justice sector actors, oversight has been limited. The award ensures that it is operationally sustainable in North Kivu and that local expertise exists not only to maintain current operations, but also to monitor and improve it. The award also ensures that the database is linked to the provincial judicial databases in South Kivu and Maniema Provinces, thus laying the foundation for a truly national repository of case law on conflict-related sexual violence.

The ABA Rule of Law Initiative (ABA-ROLI) is a public service project of the American Bar Association, dedicated to promoting rule of law around the world. Since 2008, MacArthur has supported ABA-ROLI to provide direct support and legal assistance to victims of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. The proposed grant will support ABA-ROLI to 1) transfer full ownership of legal aid clinics to local women’s organizations to ensure sustainability and promote access to justice at the community level, and 2) provide justice sector actors with greater access to SGBV statistical records and case summaries through a case database, thereby improving the adjudication of cases and enhancing access to justice for survivors of SGBV.

To improve access to justice for victims of sexual and gender-based violence in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (over two years).

To improve access to justice for victims of sexual and gender-based violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo.