​In the justice sector, programmes often continue to transplant foreign models, parallel implementation units are the norm, and local ownership is often understood in terms of support for donor programmes, rather than locally-led reform initiatives. This is out of step with international debates on aid effectiveness and cutting edge approaches to institutional reform. Indeed, given that justice is concerned with fundamentally political issues – such as the norms and standards that govern a society, and how power is regulated – it is perhaps surprising that development programming in this sector has often been viewed as overly technical and apolitical in approach.

This workshop brought together various organisations and individuals working across sectors to consider what context relevant, politically aware and iterative programming in the justice sector might look like. 

Read Lisa Denney and Erika Kirwen's paper for Just Development, Politically smart and locally led justice programming: Learning from other sectors.