Under USAID’s Rule of Law IQC, Millennium DPI has provided assistance in: Strengthened Checks and Balances and Judicial Independence, Fairness and Human Rights, Effective Application of the Law, Rule of Law in Post Conflict Environments, and Gender and Social Exclusion.
Judicial independence is the sine qua non in the effort to establish rule of law in developing and established democracies. Millennium DPI projects also ensure that the processes of the judiciary are free from political and other outside pressures.
Millennium DPI helps to strengthen the justice sector to identify and prosecute corruption. Justice, therefore, must be centrally concerned with fairness and equity for all citizens. Millennium DPI is currently assisting prisoners held without trial, or on remand, to obtain legal assistance in Sri Lanka. Rule of law requires that all laws, regulations and rules, whether formal, administrative or informal, are consistently applied and enforced. To build trust, citizens should feel confident that the justice system is viable, responsive and fair.
Millennium DPI is engaging communities and governments to rebuild on a foundation of law and justice. Despite advances in democratic rule and economic opportunities in many countries, systematic inequalities stemming from gender, caste, and ethnic exclusion and discrimination persist. Millennium DPI is experienced working with governments and civil society, advancing fairness and access to justice for women and others unfairly excluded. In addition, Millennium DPI has experience developing workable and effective gender integration strategies into all of its program activities.
Ethiopia
The USAID Feteh (“Justice”) Activity is a two-year rule of law project being implemented in Ethiopia from February 12, 2019 until February 11, 2021. Under this task order, Millennium DPI is providing flexible, rapid response technical assistance to the Ethiopian Attorney General’s Office and the Federal Supreme Court of Ethiopia to strengthen the legal and human rights of all Ethiopians and improve the administration of justice. We are also working with key civil society organizations and the Ethiopian press to ensure inclusive public debate and dialogue on this very dynamic reform process.
Sri Lanka
Millennium DPI partners is supporting continuing education and training for lawyers and judges including training on gender based violence, gender equality, labor rights, migration, and court procedures. We also support legal assistance to prisoners being held without formal charges. This has led to 10 fundamental rights cases being brought before the Supreme Court.
Bosnia
Millennium DPI is implementing a highly complex justice sector project funded by USAID to build the capacity of prosecutors to combat corruption and organized crime, and to foster citizen confidence in the judicial system and support for rule of law.
Kosovo
Millennium DPI will focus on removing the major impediments to efficiency and accountability in the judicial system. This involves tackling operational and procedural inefficiencies such as case backlog, judicial appointments, legal knowledge and skills, and overall court administration. In addition, the judicial structures in the North of Kosovo will be integrated into the Kosovo judicial system.
Moldova
Millennium DPI is implementing a streamlined, adaptable strategy for redesigning and upgrading the Moldovan judiciary’s flagship ICT case management package, connecting the courts to the broader justice system and e-governance, and ensuring that new technology enhances the accessibility, efficiency, transparency, and accountability of justice in the country.