95854
Results Profile: MENA Public Sector Governance Reform                                               November 12, 2010




 PUBLIC SECTOR GOVERNANCE REFORM

 Enhancing Delivery of Justice Sector Services to the Poor




Overview
Heeding the lessons learned from years of supporting ‘justice sector hardware’ such as judicial
training, court administration, court infrastructure and legislative reform, the World Bank has
adjusted its support to this key sector in the Middle East and North Africa (MNA) to deliver
better results for the poor. By focusing on the demand-side of service delivery, the Bank aims
to better target the delivery of justice services, an approach that is bearing results in Jordan
and Iraq.

  Full Brief—3 Pages
Enhancing Delivery of Justic Sector Services to the Poor—PDF, Sept 2010


Challenge
Ensuring delivery of justice sector services to the poor is an
                                                                   More Results
important element in addressing poverty and inequality, since
the poor often have only limited means to protect and

                                                                   700
enforce their rights. The reality in many MNA countries is
that services existing in law and regulation do not always
function in practice, especially where the poor are
concerned.                                                         poor persons have received
                                                                   legal counseling.


Approach

Recently, the World Bank – through the International Bank         MORE INFORMATION
for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) - has begun to
                                                                    Middle East and North Africa
focus on improving service delivery as a means to                   Website
supporting justice sector reform and development. In Jordan
and Iraq, this includes: services covering disputes involving       Regional Brief
personal status issues, such as inheritance, alimony and            Public Financial Management
child support; services involving criminal law matters, such as     Reform in the Middle East and
pre-trial detention and legal representation; and the provision     North Africa
of free legal representation and information to poor persons.       Governance Website: Regional

                                                                    Governance Website: Global
Results
                                                                    Governance News and Notes

IImproved service delivery has meant that through the
Jordan Center for Legal Aid network, more than 700 poor
persons have received legal counseling, and more than 180        
poor persons have received legal representation in court.
The referral network and pro bono lawyers network, which
have been recently established, has meant that the reach of legal aid services to the poor now
extends throughout Amman, and slowly to areas outside of Amman. The Ministry of Social
Welfare has recently agreed to refer poor women in need of assistance to the Justice Center
for Legal Aid. In general, poor persons seeking legal aid will now have more options, will be
able to receive more services in one location, and will have a higher quality of representation.

Partners

IBRD has work with partners such as the High Judicial Council, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of
Interior, the High Committee for Poverty Reduction, the Law Faculty of the University of
Baghdad in Iraq; the Shura Council, Ministry of Justice and Council of Ministers in the Kurdish
Regional Government; and the Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Social Welfare, Justice Center for
Legal Aid and private lawyers in Jordan.

Toward the Future

Reform of the justice sector has been historically difficult in the MNA region for a number of
reasons, not least because of the political nature of supporting a strong and independent
judiciary in states with inefficient checks and balances on power.  While other donors, such as
the US Agency for International Development and the European Commission, have focused,
and continue to focus, on providing ‘judicial hardware’, the Bank has developed a
complimentary approach to providing technical assistance, which is its strategic advantage. 
Addressing delivery of services, primarily those related to civil as opposed to criminal law, also
provides a more direct impact on the public and is less likely to be considered politically
sensitive.