34. INTERNATIONAL LAW SECTION PROGRAM WORKS WITH U.N. TO ERADICATE POVERTY THROUGH THE RULE OF LAW
The ABA Section of International Law's International Legal Resource Center is in its sixth year of operation, assisting the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in its common commitment with the ABA and the Section of International Law to promote the eradication of poverty through good governance and the rule of law throughout the world.
The Legal Resource Center identifies pro bono legal experts to assist in UNDP legal technical assistance projects, coordinates desktop legislative assessments by a diverse group of international contributors, and is available to provide substantive advice on project and policy formulation. During 2005 the Center responded to 40 requests from UNDP offices in Asia, Africa, Latin America, Eastern Europe and Newly Independent States. The wide-ranging requests included locating an expert to aid Laos in accession to international treaties, providing Turkey with information on comparative practices in basic income support mechanisms, and recommending skilled lawyers to speak on class actions as a mechanism for achieving justice in Latin America. The Center carried out four legislative assessments, including commentary on the draft Law on Environmental Protection and Law on Anti-Corruption for Viet Nam in 2005.
During this past year, the Center received and responded to 15 requests from offices in 12 countries in Asia, Africa, Eastern Europe, Eurasia, and Latin America. They included three country offices, UNDP/Republic of Congo, UNDP/Tajikistan, and UNDP/Uzbekistan, with which the Center had not previously worked.
Research has been performed on elections, juvenile justice, disability rights, human trafficking, and other areas for UNDP.
- More than 10 recommendations of expert consultants were made to UNDP/Burundi in March to assist the country office in the development of national plans for reforming the justice sector, including projects focusing on juvenile justice and police administration.
- Five qualified candidates were recommended to UNDP/Bhutan in May to assist the government in drafting the country's first law on contracts.
- Half a dozen legal experts from the USA, Nigeria and the Netherlands participated in a legislative assessment of four draft decrees guiding the implementation of Viet Nam's recently enacted Laws on Enterprises and Investment.
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