The EU, Spain and UNODC announce justice support program

 The activity includes support for the implementation of the judicial and fiscal career, reinforcement of management models, promotion of use of new technologies, institutional transparency and the fight against corruption, strengthening of public defense, access to justice, reinforcement of the gender perspective and the fight against violence against women and girls.

La Paz, February 25th, 2021 (United Nations).- The European Union, the Embassy of Spain and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) presented this Friday, February 26, a program to support justice, which includes an investment of 3.5 million dollars from the EU and a co-financing from Spain of 350 thousand dollars to carry out six key tasks in follow-up to the 2016 Justice Summit and in coordination with the institutions and main actors of the Bolivian State. The program will be implemented by the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation, AECID - which provides a counterpart of $ 350,000 - and by UNODC.

The initiative seeks:

 ·       Support the implementation of the judicial and prosecutorial career,

·       Strengthen management models and digitization,

·       Promote institutional transparency and fighting corruption,

·       Strengthen institutions of public defense and access to justice,

·       Reinforce the gender perspective,

·       Fight against violence against women and girls.

 The EU Ambassador, Michael Doczy, in his presentation speech stressed that “it is an ambitious program, which is possible by decision of its promoters, but especially by the will of the Bolivian State. There is only full validity of the rule of law when justice is independent and serves everyone without distinction. This is part of the key principles that lie at the foundations of the European Union”.

The Ambassador of Spain, Javier Gassó Matoses, said that the project is “a sign of the continuity in the commitment of Bolivia and Spain, to continue working to make effective the right of access to justice for the general population, with special attention to people in situations of greater vulnerability. And it also reflects the commitment made jointly with partners such as the EU and UNODC towards the achievement of development results and the mutual responsibility for a greater effectiveness of our cooperation”.

 For his part, Thierry Rostan, UNODC Representative, stated that "the technical assistance and materials that UNODC has developed at the regional and global levels will be available to the Bolivian authorities." In addition, he highlighted that UNODC supports the Global Judicial Integrity Network, of which Bolivia is part of, and that it will help expand the exchange of experiences, initiatives and information between Bolivian judges and their regional and global peers to strengthen judicial integrity.  

This activity has been defined together with the State institutions, in particular the Bolivian Government Executive Body, Judicial and Public Ministry Bodies, supporting the bases for a reform of the justice sector that guarantees effectiveness, independence and equal access without leaving anyone behind, within the commitments development cooperation, promotion of human rights, the rule of law and democracy.  

The project is also aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals and Goals of the 2030 Agenda, which seek to promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, facilitate access to justice for all and create responsible and effective institutions at all levels, as well how to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.