2017 – 2019 Action Plan, Commitment #4

In Liberia, citizens often lack a clear understanding of how their justiceTo address barriers that prevent citizens from having their justice needs met, OGP participating governments are working to expand transparency, accountability, and inclusion into all systems of justi... system works. In an effort to build trust in the judiciaryWhile a majority of open government reforms occur within the executive branch, OGP members are increasingly taking on commitments to increase the openness of the judicial branch. Technical specificati..., the Chief Justice’s Office of Liberia will improve government capacity in the justice sector and grow the capability of citizens to recognize their role in it. In their 2013 – 2014 action planAction plans are at the core of a government’s participation in OGP. They are the product of a co-creation process in which government and civil society jointly develop commitments to open governmen..., Liberia amended its jury laws to ensure that citizens serving on juries are well informed about cases, so trials can be conducted fairly. Liberia’s third action plan from 2017 – 2019 will build on these reforms. The Chief Justice’s Office will establish jury offices in more counties, train magistrates in all counties, and create systems for citizen monitoring of local court performance. The commitment’s guarantee of access to information on laws and regulations and citizen engagement at the local level will promote accountability.

Already, there is evidence of progress reflected in the number of judicial facilities constructed throughout the country, the programs and policies initiated to build capacity and improve systems, and the employment of additional judicial workers to deal with the growing number of court cases.

Photo Credit: Morgana Wingard for OGP