On December 3, 2024, the East-West Management Institute (EWMI), the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and the International Association for Court Administration (IACA) jointly hosted an international online conference titled "Advancing People-Centered Justice and Access to Justice."

IACA President Pamela Harris highlighted that the conference aligned with one of IACA’s core mission objectives: promoting the rule of law in emerging democracies. Similarly, EWMI Vice President Mark Dietrich emphasized EWMI’s leadership in advancing People-Centered Justice (PCJ) approaches through its rule of law programs in Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan. USAID Senior Rule of Law Advisor Andrew Solomon provided an overview of USAID’s ongoing commitment to supporting PCJ initiatives, underscoring its central role in the participating countries’ justice projects.

The conference featured presentations on the achievements of EWMI’s USAID-funded rule of law projects in Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan. Key topics included perspectives on PCJ, access to justice, legal awareness, and community responses to gender-based violence.

Dr. Tim Bunjevac, the program’s Community Engagement Advisor, shared strategies for integrating PCJ in Georgia. He discussed strategies for fostering collaboration between the justice sector, academia, legal aid organizations, lawyers’ associations, and community groups.

Ms. Nazira Ramzhanova, People-Centered Justice Officer for the USAID Ukuk Bulagy Project in Kyrgyzstan, spoke about implementing PCJ initiatives through Local Justice Groups and highlighted the importance of legal literacy and engaging regional stakeholders.

Mr. Jaloliddin Badalov, Public Education Expert for the Judicial System Strengthening Activity in Uzbekistan, detailed efforts to enhance legal awareness and transparency in Uzbekistan’s justice system.

The final session was led by Ms. Brittany Davis, Associate Director at the Center for Justice Innovation, a key EWMI partner in PCJ projects in Georgia and Kyrgyzstan. She presented an in-depth overview of the Coordinated Community Response model in the U.S., sharing principles to strengthen collaborative efforts in addressing gender-based violence at the community level.

The conference attracted 150 participants worldwide, including significant audiences from the participating countries and over 20 others.

Watch the full conference video here: https://youtu.be/C5YZoRKj1tM