The Programme

The Pacific Judicial Development Programme (PJDP) Phase 2 operated from July 2010-June 2015 and was funded by the Government of New Zealand (MFAT). It served the judiciaries of 14 Pacific Island Countries (PICs), namely: Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu. Fiji has earlier participated but its membership is presently suspended.

6th Chief Justices' Leadership Workshop - Auckland, New Zealand (March 2014)
6th Chief Justices' Leadership Workshop - Auckland, New Zealand (March 2014)

First row (left to right): Chief Justice Sir; Albert Palmer; Chief Justice Sir John Muria; Chief Justice Vincent Lunabek; Chief Justice Dame Sian Elias; Chief Justice Patu Sapolu; Chief Justice Martin Yinug.
Second row (left to right):
Deputy Chief Justice Gibbs Salika; Chief Justice Geoffrey Eames; Lord Chief Justice Michael Scott; Chief Justice Tom Weston; Chief Justice Sir Gordon Ward; Chief Justice Carl Ingram; Chief Justice Arthur Ngiraklsong.

The founding vision of PJDP, earlier known as the Pacific Judicial Education Programme (PJEP), was to train judges and magistrates. The goal of PJDP was to strengthen governance and rule of law in PICs through enhanced access to justice and professional judicial officers who act independently according to legal principles. Its purpose was to support PICs to enhance the professional competence of judicial officers and court officers, and the processes and systems that they use.

Key Results at a Glance

Over the past five years, the Pacific Judicial Development Programme (PJDP) has improved the quality of justice across the Pacific in ways that are relevant, effective, efficient and sustainable. These improvements have been captured in the Programme Completion Report (pdf - 1.3mb), and have a measurable impact on promoting a fairer society and improving human wellbeing in the Pacific.

Citizens Live in Fairer Societies with Better Access to Justice (pdf - 511 kb)

Citizens in Pacific Island Countries (PICs) are more empowered to access and use the courts to redress injustice, and the courts are more responsive to the needs of the public seeking justice.

 "While some initiative may be local, the PJDP developed the initial concepts for these which inspired these local initiatives - PJDP provided the ignition key"
Chief Justice Sapolu (Samoa)
  

Judicial Leaders are Directing the Delivery of More Substantive Justice Outcomes (pdf - 392 kb)

Courts are more proactively managing improvements with Chief Justices networking across the region to drive, plan and administer justice locally.

 "We use PJDP because we have confidence in it as a judicial programme which is unique in the world in the sense that it is regionally managed by a court. We have tremendously benefited from PJDP"
Chief Justice Lunabek (Vanuatu)
  
 

Public is Enabled to Demand Judicial Integrity, Transparency and Accountability (pdf - 433 kb)

Improvements in professionalism, integrity and conduct have built public trust in the courts. The 15 "Cook Island Performance Indicators" and regular annual reporting equip courts and the public with knowledge and capacity to drive continuing improvements in judicial quality.

 PJDP has achieved phenomenal work in increasing capacities of judges and judicial officers as well as improving courts' processes and systems…"
Chief Justice Ngiraklsong (Palau)
  

Courts Administer and Deliver Justice More Efficiently (pdf - 277 kb)

Courts are increasingly disposing of cases and reducing backlogs according to established time standards. Improved efficiency, and public awareness of this, is strengthening public trust and consolidating confidence in courts.

 "PJDP has been one of the best programs; I was very impressed from the beginning; there was no better way to maximise the use of resources."
Chief Justice Sir Albert Palmer (Solomon Islands)
  

Continuing Improvements are Transforming Court Performance (pdf - 665 kb)

Courts are more able to build capacity through experienced local trainers conducting sustainable judicial development across the region.

 "PJDP has built our confidence in our ability to do these things (judicial development) ourselves."
Deputy Chief Justice Salika (PNG)



Workshop


Logo: New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trammeade Aid ProLogo: Federal Court of Australia
PJDP is funded by the Government of New Zealand
and managed by the
Federal Court of Australia