International Development Grant
Judicial Reform and Institutional Strengthening
Project Number: CA-3-A035272001
Status: Closed
Country/Region:
Regional Focus:
Maximum Contribution: $19,767,469.00
Start Date: December 16, 2013
End Date: March 31, 2023
Duration: 9.3 years
Project Description
This project aims to strengthen the judicial system to be more responsive to the needs of citizens. Caribbean Community (CARICOM) member states suffer from outdated legal frameworks which result in weak justice systems that are bogged down by delays and inefficient courts. Project activities include: (1) re-engineer business process including and gender sensitive administrative and customer service procedures and policies and caseflow management processes which integrate alternative dispute resolution sensitive to marginalized groups; (2) deliver training to court administrators and support staff in the core competencies of court administrators; (3) develop introduce and enhance appropriate delay and backlog reduction mechanisms; and (4) establish court administration policies and procedures. A transparent and predictable legal system benefits local and foreign investors as well as every day citizens such as women men youth business and the poor.
Expected Results
The expected intermediate outcomes for this project include: (1) strengthened customer focused and gender responsive court and judicial service delivery in the CARICOM region.
Progress & Results Achieved
Results achieved as of March 2022 include: (1) equipped and supported establishment of virtual courts in the region to comply with public health regulations during the pandemic; (2) provided support to public education campaigns for court users on the safe use of the courts and access to justice; (3) conducted a baseline study on access to justice in the court system by Indigenous and other marginalized groups; (4) enhanced business continuity planning for regional and national courts to manage disruptions caused by the pandemic; (5) operationalized a Sexual Offences Model Court in Antigua and Barbuda modelling the guidelines developed for handling sexual offence cases for children and others; (6) developed Sexual Offence Guidelines to provide support to victims of gender-based violence comprehensively; (7) transferred technical capacity and knowledge to courts in Guyana and Barbados for sexual offence cases; (8) provided video equipment to courts in Dominica Guyana and St. Lucia and the Caribbean Court of Justice to increase legal rulings using virtual medium; (9) developed a comprehensive Disaster Recovery Plan for courts in Antigua and Barbuda Barbados Belize Dominica Guyana St. Lucia St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Trinidad and Tobago; (10) increased complementing mediators in Barbados Guyana and St. Vincent and the Grenadines; (11) established court-directed mediation in Barbados; (12) trained judges and magistrates in Barbados Belize and Trinidad in gender-based legal ruling; (13) supported the Caribbean Community in launching a special Administrative Court for regional personnel matters at the Caribbean Court of Justice; and (14) Antigua and Barbuda Barbados Belize Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago adopted new policies practices or procedures to strengthen service delivery. These results contribute to improving court administration and the administration of justice by strengthening the ability of the courts and judiciary to resolve cases e
Key Information
Executing Agency:
Caribbean Court of Justice
Reporting Organization:
Global Affairs Canada
Program:
NGM Americas
Last Modified:
September 19, 2025
Development Classifications
DAC Sector:
Aid Type: Project-type interventions
Collaboration: Bilateral
Finance Type: Aid grant excluding debt reorganisation
Selection Mechanism:
Pre-APP