Asia Foundation Shares Findings on Justice Sector Survey with Ministry of Justice

Asia Foundation shared the preliminary findings of Survey of the Justice Sector of Afghanistan (SJSA) with the Ministry of Justice in a two-day program on manner of reducing the impacts of insecurity on the Afghan justice system, including the security situation of provincial justice departments.

In this program Qanoonpooh Fazal Ahmad Manawi- Minister of Justice, Deputy Administrative Minister of Justice, Director of the International Development Law Organization in Afghanistan, Officials of the Asia Foundation and employees of the provincial justice departments participated.

In this program the Minister of Justice called justice and security as interdependent to each other and said "Where there is no justice, there is no security, and where there is no security, there is no justice."

He added that what has so far been paid more attention to is the modality of realization of the discussions of justice, formation of the rule of law and facilitation of people's access to justice; but for all this, there is need for a platform, which is security.

Mr. Manawi stated: "If there is no minimum psychic security, no government employee will be able to perform his/her duty properly, particularly those employees who work in the leadership of the justice institutions.”

Gul Mohammad Gulzai, Administrative Deputy Minister of Justice, also spoke about insecurity and its impacts on the Afghan justice system, and considered necessary the availability of security for ensuring justice and the rule of law.

In addition Idris Elham, Director of Rule of Law and Governance of Asia Foundation provided information to the participants on how the survey has been conducted in the Afghan justice sector and the Participants also shared their points of views and suggestions on how to reduce the impacts of insecurity on Afghanistan's justice system.

Asia Foundation conducted the survey focusing on four major areas, including examining the physical condition of offices, reviewing safety and security policies and regulations in offices, assessing the safety capacity of institutions and the field locality of offices in the provincial directorates of justice and related departments in the districts.

On the other hand, in the sideline of the program, the Minister of Justice met with the Justice Directors of the provinces. During this meeting, he heard the problems of provincial justice directorates and assured to fix them.

Mr. Fazal Ahmad Manawi assured the provincial justice directors to enhance the capacity, increase salaries and privileges, raise the status of employees, create facilities and ensure their security, a proposal has been submitted to the Presidential Office, which has been responded   positively.

Mr.Manawi asked the officials of the directorate of Justice to do their duties with utmost honesty and faithfulness and protect the justice, which is the primary stature of the Ministry of Justice; He also thanked the Asia Foundation and the IDLO for their cooperation and called for the continuation of their cooperation.