Ethiopia’s Ministry of Justice is taking justice delivery at the community level decisively forward, aligned with priorities identified in their three-year justice transformational plan. As part of a broader ambition to build a more responsive justice system that works for people, two important milestones were achieved this week, alongside strategic alignment between Ethiopia’s Ministry of Justice and HiiL.
The Ethiopian Land Justice Guidelines
This week, we had the privilege of joining the Ethiopian Ministry of Justice and court leaders in a pivotal joint session, coordinated by the Ministry’s local partner, Destiny Ethiopia. The gathering marked the launch of the Ethiopian Land Justice Guidelines—a set of tools to standardize evidence-based practices, which is a key factor in scaling community justice services effectively.
This event also included a session with justice leaders from the ministry, courts, and academic experts, to discuss the scaling of community justice centres. The foundation for this conversation was a legal impact assessment of customary courts in Oromia, which HiiL and the Oromia Legal Training and Research Institute conducted together. The findings set the stage for a dynamic, interactive session that brought in voices from regional and federal government, first-instance courts, law schools, and civil society organizations.
The main takeaway? Establishing effective linkages between customary and formal justice systems is challenging but can be game-changing when focused on people-centred outcomes.
Ethiopia’s first Community Justice Centre
The next day, in Addis Ababa, we joined the Ethiopian Ministry of Justice and State Minister Dr. Ermias Yemanebirhan to officially open Ethiopia’s first Community Justice Center, a crucial step in expanding access to justice. Our CEO, Dr. Sam Muller, celebrated the moment, saying”
“It is now concrete. We have a physical location that serves as the first point of contact for those in the community seeking to prevent or resolve their most pressing justice issues in a way that is accessible, affordable, and based on solid evidence.”
Two additional centres are set to open in Afar and Sidama, underscoring the Ministry’s commitment to regional diversity and inclusive community justice. With a clear vision, the Ministry plans to roll out pilot centres in every region across Ethiopia.
In partnership with the Ethiopian Ministry of Justice and Destiny Ethiopia, HiiL is committed to supporting a robust, people-centred justice system in Ethiopia, with a special focus on strengthening community justice.
