ISLAMABAD: The European Union Delegation to Pakistan, the United Nations Development Programme and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime on Wednesday signed an agreement to implement a four-year, €10 million EU-funded programme aimed at strengthening the rule of law and improving access to justice in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Building on earlier EU support for Pakistan’s justice sector, the programme will bring together the complementary expertise of UNDP and UNODC. It will work with provincial institutions to make justice and security services more accessible, particularly for women and vulnerable groups in the two provinces.
Welcoming the agreement, Jeroen Willems, Head of Partnerships at the EU Delegation to Pakistan, said access to justice was fundamental to protecting people’s rights.
“Our investments in the past have had a real impact. Over the next four years, this EU-funded programme will continue to help the most vulnerable gain better access to the police, prosecution, courts and legal aid in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,” he said.
He said the EU was pleased to partner with UNDP and UNODC as implementing partners and continue to deliver justice to those most deserving.
According to the announcement, the programme will contribute to greater stability, resilience and human development while advancing gender equality, human rights and protection of vulnerable populations across the justice chain.
From law enforcement and prosecution to courts, prisons and mediation centres, the programme will focus on strengthening accountability, alternative dispute resolution and institutional capacity to address barriers to civil and criminal justice.
“There is no development without justice. When people can trust the law to protect their rights, resolve disputes and provide effective remedies, they are better able to build livelihoods, businesses and futures,” said Dr Samuel Rizk, Resident Representative, UNDP Pakistan.
He said UNDP, UNODC and the European Union were joining forces through the programme to help translate that trust into more accessible and responsive justice services.
The initiative will promote rights-based service delivery, stronger institutional ownership and sustainable reforms aligned with the Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Rule of Law Roadmaps.
UNODC Pakistan Representative Troels Vester said UNODC and UNDP would combine their expertise and build on longstanding partnerships with the governments of Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
He said the work with justice institutions over the next four years should be felt by the people they serve through services that are more accessible, accountable and responsive.
The programme is part of a €65 million cooperation package between the EU and the Government of Pakistan. It falls under the EU’s Support to the Rule of Law and Business Environment in Pakistan initiative, one of three programmes launched through the package.
