Judicial Independence, Autonomy and Access to Justice Activities in the RAAN

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), together with the Bluefields Indian & Caribbean University (BICU) sponsored Judicial Independence, Autonomy, and Access to Justice Week, from February 22 through March 1, 2007, in Bilwi (Puerto Cabezas), in Nicaragua’s North Atlantic Autonomous Region (RAAN, in Spanish).

The event provided a public forum to discuss issues of justice administration, human rights, constitutional guarantees in the criminal procedures code, autonomy rights, and others.

Activities included a forum debate at the Bluefields Indian & Caribbean University (BICU-CIUM) in Bilwi; discussions with students from five high schools; and several community town hall meetings.

The forum is one of the activities under USAID´s $10.6 million Rule of Law Program to support the modernization of the judicial sector and increase access to justice for all citizens.