Justice

About this guide

This topic guide provides an introduction to development assistance in the justice sector. As well as being an important aim in itself, an accessible and effective justice sector is essential for development in a number of ways. Security of property and protection of assets are vital to support the livelihoods of the poor. Access to legal protection can help the poor resolve disputes, and secure their rights to engage in political processes and access services. In addition, effective justice institutions can form part of the enabling environment for economic growth.

This topic guide was prepared by Joanna Crichton, Zoë Scott and Huma Haider. The GSDRC appreciates the contributions of Laure-Hélène Piron, Department for International Development (DFID) and Viviennne O'Conner, United States Institute of Peace (USIP). Comments, questions or documents for consideration should be sent to Huma Haider.

Latest additions

The following document summaries were added in September 2009:

• Castillejo, C., 2009, ‘Building Accountable Justice in Sierra Leone’, FRIDE, Madrid
• Fithen, C., 2009, ‘The Legacy of Four Vetting Programs: An Empirical Review’, International Centre for Transitional Justice, New York
• Fletcher, L. and Weinstein, H., with Rowen, J., 2009, ‘Context, Timing and the Dynamics of Transitional Justice: A Historical Perspective’, Human Rights Quarterly, vol 31, no 1, pp. 163-220
• De Greiff, P., 2009, ‘Articulating the Links Between Transitional Justice and Development: Justice and Social Integration’, Chapter 1 in Transitional Justice and Development: Making Connections, International Centre for Transitional Justice, New York
• Human Rights Watch, 2009, 'Selling Justice Short: Why Accountability Matters for Peace', Human Rights Watch, New York
• GSDRC, 2009, ‘Institutional Assessment of the Police and Justice Sectors’, Helpdesk Research Report, GSDRC, Birmingham

The following document summaries were added in January 2009:

Justice overview

• Davis, K. E. and Trebilcock, M. J., 2008, ‘The Relationship Between Law and Development: Optimists versus Skeptics’, New York University Law School, New York
• Department for International Development 2000, 'Justice and Poverty Reduction: Safety, Security and Access to Justice for All', DFID, London
• Department for International Development, 2002, 'Guidance Note: Putting SSAJ Policy Into Practice', DFID, London
• Department for International Development, 2008, 'Guidance Note: Justice and Accountability', DFID, London
• UNODC, 2006, ‘Criminal Justice Assessment Toolkit’, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Vienna
• GSDRC, 2007, 'SWAps and Justice', Helpdesk Research Report, GSDRC, Birmingham

Access to justice

• UNDP, 2008, ‘Making the Law Work for Everyone’, Volume 1, Report of the Commission on Legal Empowerment of the Poor, United Nations Development Programme, New York
• GSDRC, 2008, 'Politics of Justice Sector Reform', Helpdesk Research Report, GSDRC, Birmingham

Human rights, gender and social exclusion

• UNDP, 2005, ‘Disadvantaged Groups’, Chapter 6 in Programming for Justice: Access for All, A Practitioner’s Guide to a Human Rights-Based Approach to Access to Justice, United Nations Development Programme, New York
• Nyamu-Musembi, C., 2005, 'For or Against Gender Equality? Evaluating the Post-Cold War 'Rule of Law' Reforms in Sub-Saharan Africa', United Nations Research Institute for Social Development, Geneva
• Morrison, A., Ellsberg, M. and Bott, S., 2007, ‘Addressing Gender-Based Violence: A Critical Review of Interventions’, The World Bank Observer, vol. 22, no. 1, pp. 25-51
• Pearson, E., 2008, ‘Demonstrating Legislative Leadership: The Introduction of Rwanda’s Gender-Based Violence Bill’, Hunt Alternatives Fund, Washington, DC
• Human Rights Watch, 2008, ‘Five Years On: No Justice for Sexual Violence in Darfur’, Human Rights Watch, New York
• Amnesty International, 2007, ‘Doubly Traumatised: Lack of Access to Justice for Female Victims of Sexual and Gender-based Violence in Northern Uganda’, Amnesty International, London
• Oates, L., 2008, ‘Taking Stock Update: Afghan Women and Girls Seven Years On’, Womenkind Worldwide, London
• Villarreal, M., 2006, ‘Changing Customary Land Rights and Gender Relations in the Context of HIV/AIDS in Africa’, International Symposium, ‘At the Frontier of Land Issues’, Montpellier
• Manji, A., 2008, ‘Gender, Land Rights and Democratic Governance’, UNDP Democratic Governance Group
• Rehn, E. and Johnson Sirleaf, E., 2002, ‘Women, War and Peace’, Independent Expert’s Assessment on the Impact of Armed Conflict on Women and Women’s Role in Peace-building’, United Nations Development Fund for Women, New York
• UNIFEM, 2007, ‘Gender Sensitive Police Reform in Post Conflict Societies’, Policy briefing paper, United Nations Development Fund for Women and United Nations Development Programme
• Atabay, T., 2007, 'Afghanistan: Female Prisoners and their Social Reintegration', United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, New York
• Martin, F. and Parry-Williams, J., 2005, ‘The Right Not to Lose Hope: Children in Conflict with the Law – A Policy Analysis and Examples of Good Practice’, Save the Children, London
• United Nations, 2008, ‘Guidance Note of the Secretary-General: UN Approach to Justice of Children’, United Nations, New York
• UNICEF/UNODC, 2007, ‘Manual for the Measurement of Juvenile Justice Indicators’, United Nations, New York
• Inter-Agency Coordination Panel on Juvenile Justice, 2005, ‘Protecting the Rights of Children in Conflict with the Law’, Inter-Agency Coordination Panel on Juvenile Justice 
• Hamilton, C., 2007, ‘Analysis of the Juvenile Justice System in Georgia’, UNICEF Georgia, Tbilisi
• Morris, C., 2008, ‘Developing a Juvenile Justice System in Bosnia and Herzegovina: Rights, Diversion and Alternatives’, Youth Justice, vol. 8, no. 3, pp. 197-213
• World Bank, 2006, 'Gender, Justice, and Truth Commissions', World Bank, Washington
• Rubio-Marín, R., 2006, 'What Happened to the Women? Gender and Reparations for Human Rights Violations', Advancing Transitional Justice Series, no. 1, International Center for Transitional Justice, Social Science Research Council, New York
• Valji, N., 2007, ‘Gender Justice and Reconciliation’, Occasional paper, no. 35, Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, Berlin

Non-state justice and security systems

• Woodhouse, A., 2004, ‘Village Justice in Indonesia: Case Studies on Access to Justice, Village Democracy and Governance’, Justice for the Poor team, World Bank Social Development Unit, Indonesia
• GSDRC, 2007, 'Governance in tribal environments', Helpdesk Research Report, GSDRC, Birmingham
• Shaw, M., 2002, 'Chapter 6: The Impact of Private Policing,' in Crime and Policing in Post-Apartheid South Africa: Transforming under Fire, C Hurst & Co, London

Conflict-affected and fragile states

• OHCHR, 2006, ‘Rule-of-Law Tools for Post-Conflict States: Mapping the Justice Sector’, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, New York and Geneva
• OHCHR, 2006, ‘Rule-of-Law Tools for Post-Conflict States: Monitoring Legal Systems’, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, New York and Geneva
• United Nations Department of Peacekeeping Operations, 2006, 'Focal Areas and Activities for Technical Assistance', Chapter 4 in Primer for Justice Components in Multidimensional Peace Operations: Strengthening the Rule of Law, United Nations, Department of Peacekeeping Operations
• OCHA/IDD, UN HABITAT, UNHCR, FAO, OHCHR, the Norwegian Refugee Council and the International Displacement Monitoring Centre, 2007, ‘Housing and Property Restitution for Refugees and Displaced Persons: Implementing the Pinheiro Principles’
• Samuels, K., 2006, 'Rule of Law Reform in Post-Conflict Countries: Operational Initiatives and Lessons Learnt', Social Development Papers, no. 37, Conflict Prevention and Reconstruction Unit, World Bank, Washington
• Carlson, S. N., 2006, ‘Legal and Judicial Rule of Law Work in Multi-Dimensional Peacekeeping Operations: Lessons Learned Study’, United Nations Department of Peacekeeping Operations
• Baker, B. and Scheye, E., 2007, 'Multi-Layered Justice and Security Delivery in Post-Conflict and Fragile States' Conflict, Security and Development, vol. 7, no. 4, pp. 503-528
• Stabilisation Unit, 2008, ‘Security Sector and Rule of Law’, Stabilisation Issues Note, UK Stabilisation Unit
• Williams, R. C., 2008, ‘Applying the Lessons of Bosnia in Iraq: Whatever the Solution, Property Rights Should be Secured’, Brookings Institution, Washington, DC
• Hart, V., 2003, ‘Democratic Constitution Making’, Special Report, United States Institute of Peace, Washington, DC
• Hirschl, R., 2008, ‘The Theocratic Challenge to Constitution Drafting in Post-Conflict States’, William and Mary Law Review, vol. 49, no. 4, pp. 1179-1211
• Maru, V., 2006, ‘Between Law and Society: Paralegals and the Provision of Primary Justice Services in Sierra Leone and Worldwide’, Open Society Institute, New York
• Mobekk, E., 2005, 'Identifying Lessons in United Nations International Policing Missions', Policy Paper no. 9, Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces (DCAF), Geneva
• OHCHR, 2006, ‘Rule-of-Law Tools for Post-Conflict States: Vetting - An Operational Framework’, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, New York and Geneva
• DCAF, 2006, ‘Vetting and the Security Sector’, DCAF Backgrounder, Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces, Geneva
• United Nations Department of Peacekeeping Operations, 2005, ‘Supporting National Prison Systems: Lessons Learned and Best Practices for Peacekeeping Operations’, United Nations, Criminal Law and Judicial Advisory Unit, Peacekeeping Best Practices Section
• Scheye, E., and McLean, A., 2006, 'Enhancing the Delivery of Justice and Security in Fragile States', Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development - Development Assistance Committee (OECD/DAC) Network on Conflict, Peace and Development Co-operation, Paris (CPDC)
• Kimathi, L. W., 2005, ‘Non-state Institutions as a Basis of State Reconstruction: The Case of Justice Systems in Africa’, Paper presented at CODESRIA’s 11th General Assembly, 6-10 December, Maputo, Mozambique
• Wardak, A., Saba, D. and Kazem, H., 2007, ‘Bridging Modernity and Tradition: The Rule of Law and the Search for Justice’, Afghan Human Development Report, Centre for Policy and Human Development, Kabul and Army Press, Islamabad
• Dexter, T. and Ntahonbaye, P., 2005, ‘The Role of Informal Justice Systems in Fostering the Rule of Law in Post-Conflict Situations: The Case of Burundi’, Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue, Geneva
• UN Secretariat, 2005, ‘Effective Measures to Combat Transnational Organised Crime: Working Paper Prepared by the Secretariat’, Eleventh United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, 18-25 April, Bangkok
• Rausch, C. (ed), 2006, 'Conducting an Assessment', Chapter 2 in Combating Serious Crimes in Post-Conflict Societies: A Handbook for Policymakers and Practitioners, United States Institute of Peace, USIP Press Books, Washington, D.C.
• Rausch, C. (ed), 2006, 'Institutional Reforms', Chapter 4 in Combating Serious Crimes in Post-Conflict Societies: A Handbook for Policymakers and Practitioners, United States Institute of Peace, USIP Press Books, Washington, D.C.
• Teran, N. S., 2007, ‘Peacebuilding and Organised Crime: The Cases of Kosovo and Liberia’, Swisspeace, Bern
• GSDRC, 2008, 'Organised Crime and Development', Helpdesk Research Report, GSDRC, Birmingham

Transitional justice

• United Nations Security Council, 2004, ‘The Rule of Law and Transitional Justice in Conflict and Post-conflict Societies’, Report of the Secretary-General, United Nations, New York
• Mobekk, E., 2005, 'Transitional Justice in Post-Conflict Societies - Approaches to Reconciliation' in After Intervention: Public Security Management in Post-Conflict Societies - From Intervention to Sustainable Local Ownership, eds. Ebnother, A and Fluri, P., Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces (DCAF), Geneva
• Pillay, S. and Scanlon, H., 2007, ‘Peace versus Justice: Truth and Reconciliation Commission and War Crimes Tribunals in Africa’, Centre for Conflict Resolution, University of Cape Town
• International Center for Transitional Justice (ICJT)., 2004, ‘Iraqi Voices: Attitudes Toward Transitional Justice and Social Reconstruction’, ICTJ and the Human Rights Center, ICTJ Occasional Paper Series, University of California, Berkeley
• Vinck, P., 2008, ‘Living with Fear: A Population-Based Survey on Attitudes about Peace, Justice and Social Reconstruction in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo’, Berkeley-Tulane Initiative on Vulnerable Populations, Berkeley
• Naidu, E. and Adonis, C., 2007, ‘History on Their Own Terms: The Relevance of the Past for a New Generation', Research report written for the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation, Johannesburg and Cape Town
• ICTJ and DFID, 2007, ‘Donor Strategies for Transitional Justice:  Taking Stock and Moving Forward’, Seminar Report, 15-16 October, London
• Thoms, O. N. T., Ron, J. and Paris, R., 2008, ‘The Effects of Transitional Justice Mechanisms: A Summary of Empirical Research Findings and Implications for Analysts and Practitioners’, Centre for International Policy Studies, University of Ottawa
• Arbour, L., 2006, ‘Economic and Social Justice for Societies in Transition’, Annual Lecture of Transitional Justice, 25 October, New York University School of Law
• Commission for Reception, Truth and Reconciliation in East Timor, 2006, ‘Economic and Social Rights’, Chapter 7.9 in Final Report
• Hayner, P. B., 2002, ‘Unspeakable Truths: Facing the Challenge of Truth Commissions’, Routledge, London
• Amnesty International, 2007, 'Truth, Justice, and Reparation: Establishing an Effective Truth Commission', Amnesty International, London
• Shaw, R., 2005, 'Rethinking Truth and Reconciliation Commissions: Lessons from Sierra Leone', United States Institute for Peace, Special Report, no. 130
• Svärd. P., 2007, ‘The Challenges of Documenting War Atrocities in Post-Conflict Sierra Leone: A Study of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’, African Journal of International Affairs, vol. 10, nos. 1 and 2, pp. 55-72
• Bickford, L., 2007, ‘Unofficial Truth Projects’, Human Rights Quarterly, vol. 29, no. 4, pp. 994-1035
• Waddell, N. and Clark, P., eds., 2008, ‘Courting Conflict? Justice, Peace and the ICC in Africa’, Royal African Society, London
• OHCHR, 2006, ‘Rule-of-Law Tools for Post-Conflict States: Maximizing the Legacy of Hybrid Courts’, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, New York and Geneva
• Ivaniševic, B., 2008, ‘The War Crimes Chamber in Bosnia and Herzegovina: From Hybrid to Domestic Court’, International Centre for Transitional Justice
• Ivaniševic, B., 2008, ‘Against the Current: War Crimes Prosecutions in Serbia’, International Centre for Transitional Justice
• Perriello, T. and Wierda, M., 2006, ‘Lessons from the Deployment of International Judges and Prosecutors in Kosovo’, International Centre for Transitional Justice
• Perriello, T. and Wierda, M., 2006, ‘The Special Court for Sierra Leone under Scrutiny’, International Centre for Transitional Justice
• OHCHR, 2008, ‘Rule-of-Law Tools for Post-Conflict States: Reparations Programmes’, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, New York and Geneva
• Grieff, P. de, 2006, ‘The Handbook of Reparations’, Oxford University Press, Oxford Scholarship Online
• OHCHR, 2006, ‘Rule-of-Law Tools for Post-Conflict States: Vetting - An Operational Framework’, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, New York and Geneva
• DCAF, 2006, ‘Vetting and the Security Sector’, DCAF Backgrounder, Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces, Geneva
• Snyder, J. and Vinjamuri, L., 2003, ‘Trials and Errors: Principle and Pragmatism in Strategies of International Justice’, International Security, vol. 28, no. 3, pp. 5-44
• Pensky, M., 2008, ‘Amnesty on Trial: Impunity, Accountability and the Norms of International Law’, Ethics and Global Politics, vol. 1, no. 1-2, pp. 1-40
• Huyse, L., 2008, 'Introduction: Tradition-based Approaches in Peacemaking, Transitional Justice and Reconciliation Policies' in eds. Huyse, L. and Salter, M., Traditional Justice and Reconciliation after Violent Conflict: Learning from African Experiences, International IDEA, Stockholm, pp. 1-22
• Brouneus, K., 2008, 'Truth-Telling as Talking Cure? Insecurity and Retraumatization in the Rwandan Gacaca Courts', Security Dialogue vol. 39, no. 1, pp. 55-76

Donor approaches to justice

• Open Society Institute, 2008, ‘Towards a New Consensus on Access to Justice’, Summary of Workshop, 29-30 April, Brussels
• Perlin, J. and Baird, M. I., 2008, ‘Towards a New Consensus on Justice Reform: Mapping the Criminal Justice Sector’, Open Society Justice Initiative

New additions