ASF in the Central African Republic

Location: Bangui, Bouar, Berberati, Nola and Bambari Date of establishment: 2015 Team: 13 collaborators Contact: [email protected] – Telephone +236 72 88 98 97

Context

The many political and military crises that have affected the Central African Republic (CAR) have for decades been undermining the establishment of the rule of law. Justice, perceived as arbitrary and not independent by a majority of the population, is faced with enormous challenges.

Legal personnel, mainly located in the capital Bangui, are too few to provide their services to the country’s 3 courts of appeal and 24 tribunals. Of the hundred or so lawyers officially registered, only one is located outside of the capital. Furthermore, the training of justice actors falls short in terms of quality.

The country’s needs in the justice sector are considerable, both in terms of supply and demand for justice:

  • For citizens seeking justice: lack of knowledge of rights and procedures, geographical remoteness, insufficient funds, lack of understanding of the role of justice actors, lack of trust and reluctance (religious, cultural, social) to seek formal justice, etc.
  • For legal personnel offering their services: lack of political will, problem of articulation between the formal and informal justice system, insufficient resources (human, financial, material), lack of training/supervision of institutional actors, insufficient geographical coverage, non-conformity, non-existence and inadequacy of the normative framework, corruption and other forms of abuse and lack of synergy between actors.

ASF’s intervention strategy

ASF highlights a holistic approach to access to justice in CAR, whilst supporting community justice actors (neighbourhood chiefs, customary and religious leaders) and strengthening the capacity building of key legal aid actors (bar associations and civil society organisations).

Projects

News

October 15, 2024

The Central African Republic – Protecting human rights defenders

ASF and its partners in the Central African Republic are supporting women human rights defenders in order to enable them to offer appropriate support and quality services to people in vulnerable situations in their needs for justice and guidance.

Civic Space | Human rights defenders | Women’s rights | Central African Republic (the)

July 11, 2024

What’s new with Justice ExPEERience?

Justice ExPEERience was launched in 2021 by Avocats Sans Frontières. Today, the network brings together over 800 members working in the fields of human rights defense, access to justice and the fight for social justice in some 50 countries.

Communities of practice | Justice ExPEERience | Belgium | Central African Republic (the) | Congo (the Democratic Republic of the) | East Africa | Euro-Mediterranean region | Kenya | Morocco | Tanzania | Tunisia | Uganda

July 1, 2024

ASF’s annual report is available!

ASF has just published its 2023 annual report. In it, the organisation discusses the many challenges it faces at a time when authoritarianism is on the rise and the principles of human rights and the rule of law are being attacked throughout the world. In the face of these challenges, ASF is adapting and adapting its approaches to continue to deploy impactful and sustainable actions in favour of human rights. All this (and more) is covered in the pages of this report.

Support ASF | Belgium | Burundi | Central African Republic (the) | Congo (the Democratic Republic of the) | East Africa | Euro-Mediterranean region | Kenya | Morocco | Niger (the) | Tanzania | Tunisia | Uganda

Publications

June 27, 2024

Annual report 2023

Access to justice and development | Business & human rights | Civic Space | Decolonisation | Detention | Economic, social and cultural rights | Freedom of expression | Human rights defenders | International justice | Justice ExPEERience | Legal aid | Local justice | Migration | Security and freedom | Transitional justice | Victim’s rights | Belgium | Central African Republic (the) | Congo (the Democratic Republic of the) | East Africa | Euro-Mediterranean region | Kenya | Morocco | Tanzania | Tunisia | Uganda | Annual report

October 5, 2023

Report Justice ExPEERience 2021-2023 (English)

Justice ExPEERience | Belgium | Central African Republic (the) | Congo (the Democratic Republic of the) | Kenya | Morocco | Niger (the) | Tanzania | Tunisia | Uganda | Study-Report

September 19, 2023

(French) Guide for the defense before the Special Criminal Court (Central African Republic)

Transitional justice | Central African Republic (the) | Guide