Justice Reform Initiatives Support

End-of-project results include: The capacity of the Philippine Judicial Academy to design and deliver skills-based and gender- and socially-sensitive education including training in court-annexed mediation and judicial dispute resolution has been strengthened. This is demonstrated by: a complete curriculum in court-annexed mediation and judicial dispute resolution including a training methodology and a system of orientation and advocacy feedback and monitoring; a core of judge trainers and other alternative dispute resolution trainers; 245 judges and 173 mediators have been trained and 467 lawyers and 628 court personnel have been oriented in 6 model courts around the country; the establishment of a mediation fund; and the strengthening of the Philippine Mediation Center Office as a continuing mechanism within the courts for the development and expansion of alternative dispute resolution training particularly in judicial dispute resolution roll-out to other areas (97 judges have been trained for judicial dispute resolution roll-out in 2 additional areas within Metro Manila). An independent study has shown that key stakeholders have a positive and favourable opinion of alternative dispute resolution . Lastly the project has enhanced access to justice for the poor and marginalized through strengthening the institutional capacities reach and credibility of the Alternative Law Groups. This is evidenced by: the passage of a Juvenile Justice Law defining executive limitations on the declaration of public states of emergency the promotion of public access to information by upholding the right of Congress to conduct hearings in aid of legislation and ensuring safeguards in the process of making amendments to the Constitution.