Judicial Education

The ABA Rule of Law Initiative's (ABA ROLI’s) capacity-building work in Algeria is primarily focused on the ESM, the institution responsible for training Algerian judges. This assistance has focused on bolstering the skills of judicial trainers, enhancing training methodologies and building the ESM's capacity in new or emerging legal areas. ABA ROLI has also supported the ESM and the Algerian Judges’ Syndicate by organizing comparative training workshops for judges from throughout Algeria on a range of topics, including judicial independence and ethics, judicial-media relations and public outreach, cyber-crime and freedom of expression. ABA ROLI is also working with the ESM to develop a course module, along with its accompanying teacher’s manual, to help institutionalize educational programming on the new code of judicial conduct.

The ABA ROLI has also supported the introduction of e-learning into the ESM programs. In partnership with the ESM, over the past year, ABA ROLI has developed four interactive e-learning modules focusing on general equality, international human rights, and polygamy and divorce under the Algerian Family Code.

The e-learning approach will allow the ESM to make training available to judges throughout the country. ABA ROLI is currently working on developing additional modules for judges and new modules for senior administrative clerks.

The ABA ROLI also works to strengthen the organizational capacity of the Algerian Judges’ Syndicate and local bar associations. ABA ROLI supports specific programmatic initiatives with these entities.

Building Professional Legal Associations

ABA ROLI strives to support these institutions’ strategic and program planning and to strengthen their programming capacity. The ABA ROLI has conducted a series of workshops for lawyers, judges, student judges and civil society members to elicit their views on judicial development and legal reform priorities. Currently, ABA ROLI is working with local bar associations to develop and implement public education campaigns.

ABA ROLI has helped the Algerian Judges’ Syndicate to forge relations with other regional and international judges’ associations, including by supporting the syndicate's efforts to convene a Maghreb-wide judges’ meeting and to form a regional judges’ association.

Women and the Law

The ABA Rule of Law Initiative (ABA ROLI) supports programs focusing on women and the law. It has supported the work of the Arab Women’s Legal Network Algeria chapter to promote the advancement of women working in the legal field through professional training and networking.

To advance women’s rights in the country, ABA ROLI implemented a 16-month capacity-building program for young women lawyers. By increasing the individual capacities of young female lawyers, ABA ROLI also enhanced the institutional capacity of key partners that are critical in promoting equality for women in Algeria. More than 50 young lawyers from Algiers, Blida, Oran, Sidi Bel Abbes and Tizi Ouzo participated in a series of targeted trainings. The trainings covered both substantive women’s rights law and practical legal skills, including advocating for women’s equality in employment and labor matters, family law and domestic violence. During the second half of the program, participants represented at least one client on a pro bono basis and undertook either an awareness-raising activity on a women’s rights issue or implemented an advocacy campaign on a policy or legislative issue.