KPAC21: 'Informal Justice Systems In Fostering Rule Of Law' with Red Een Kind

(This session took place in-person under Chatham House Rule, and was thus not recorded).

Although Burundi's formal justice system and structures have survived, the justice system has been deeply affected by massacres, reprisals and civil war. The regeneration of the country and the re-establishment of justice and the rule of law are now a major challenge. The topic will be trying to show is how informal justice is structured to meet that challenge by supporting access to justice, equality before the law, fairness in the application of the law, participation in decision-making, conflicts prevention, ... even though in that case, "the law" is unwritten.

The objective will be to observe in a comparative approach what is happening elsewhere to identify strengths/opportunities and weaknesses of the informal mechanisms (Community-based approaches) to be addressed in order to restore the rule of law in post-conflict contexts; in Burundi particularly.

Ignoring informal justice systems will not change the problematic practices, which may be present in their operations. Existence of these systems cannot be overlooked. We need to develop strategies to take advantage of the benefits of informal systems while encouraging appropriate reforms.

This session included panelists Andrés Roure Cuzzoni (Building Bridges in Burundi (BBB) Lead, Help a Child), Rickie-Nelly Ndagano (Lead Researcher, Held a Child Burundi), Raffaella Pizzamiglio (Research Specialist, IDLO Rome) and Clement Papy Nkubizi (Country Director, Red een Kind Burundi).