Rule of Law
Within the scope of Rule of Law, all functions have the overriding purpose to promote, secure and strengthen the Rule of Law in the administration of justice as well as in the administration in general. Within the framework of the particular mission, judges, prosecutors, lawyers as well as correctional officers require specialised trainings to prepare for their new responsibilities.
The conditions and methods for carrying out these functions vary, depending on for which phase of crisis management the mission is planned. Responsibilities can include monitoring the legal system, strengthening or replacing the local mechanisms of justice, and, encouraging improvements in the administration of justice by suggesting systematic changes to the legal and judicial systems, and by undertaking legal reform and legislative review projects in order to bring domestic laws into line with recognised international standards.
Programs in this area aim at strengthening the Rule of Law within the legal and the political system as well as within the civilian administration. Measures in this area are based on principles such as the separation of powers, the independence of the judiciary and the respect for human rights. The three key pillars for successful Rule of Law programs are an independent judiciary and administration of justice, a civilian police force, and a functioning penal system.
The overall objective of the Rule of Law course is to provide participants with specific knowledge of the different mechanisms involved in a Rule of Law mission and thus enhance their competence in this area. Particular focus is given to the different mandates of such an operation that may include executive, monitoring, advisory and training functions.
The course seeks to provide skills required to perform in an international and crisis-stricken environment efficiently and in compliance with the principles of Rule of Law. The course modules therefore draw heavily on the experiences gained by the Organization of Security and Co-Operation in Europe (OSCE), the United Nations (UN) and the European Union (EU). Since overly ambitious expectations with regard to the own assignment and mission mandate often dampen the motivation for Rule of Law staff in the field, the training aims to provide a realistic picture of the political and working environment and the bottlenecks to be encountered in Rule of Law assignments.
This training is carried out in cooperation with the Folke Bernadotte Academy in Sweden and takes place either in Sandö, Sweden or Berlin, Germany.
Training Modules:
- Introduction to International Law and Institutions
- Rule of Law in Peace Operations (UN, OSCE and EU)
- Applicable Law and Local Institutions
- Rule of Law and Law Enforcement
- Investigation of Criminal Offences
- Corruption, Organised Crime and Human Trafficking
- Court Proceedings
- Prosecuting War Crimes
- International Tribunals and Special Courts
- Judicial Review and Transitional Justice
- Rights of Victims in Criminal Proceedings
- Human Rights and the Rule of Law
- Security Sector Reform
- Prison Administration and Penal Management
- Land Reform and Property Rights
- Governance and the Administrative Procedure
- Monitoring the Rule of Law
- Executive Functions and the Rule of Law
For more information on the Rule of Law Training, including training dates, course fees and application process, please consult the ZIF Training Course Overview.