Completed Projects
COUNTRY:
MYANMAR
YEAR:
2018
PROJECT:
International Legal Foundation (ILF)
DESCRIPTION:
Myanmar’s transition toward democracy had been ongoing since 2010 (and unfortunately abruptly ended in February 2021 with a coup d’etat). Through an agreement with The International Legal Foundation (ILF), TDA assessed and made recommendations regarding the functioning of the legal aid function supported by ILF in Myanmar.
In TDA President Mark Williams took an extended trip to meet with ILF-Myanmar management and front-line technical and administrative staff of the ILF Defender’s Office in Yangon. He assessed how the Office managed criminal defense cases, determined procedural and internal case-flows, and drafted performance standards based on legal procedures, best practices in criminal defense representation, and general ILF criminal legal aid performance standards. All this was assessed in line with the “Ten Principles of Measuring Justice” guide by the ILF and in coordination with ILF local and program staff. After the successful desk review and the field trip to Myanmar, TDA produced a final report including recommendations to improve efficiency and deal with problems in the future, especially increased case-flows. Other recommendations addressed how to increase and measure compliance with the ILF Measuring Justice Principles.
COUNTRY:
GHANA
YEAR:
2019 - 2020
PROJECT:
USAID / GHANA JUSTICE SECTOR REFORM CASE TRACKING SYSTEM ACTIVITY (CTS)
DESCRIPTION:
Under a sub-contract with Chemonics International Inc., TDA is providing technical assistance in the development of an integrated case tracking, information, and notification system for Ghana’s justice sector. Particularly, TDA provides expertise in justice sector strengthening, change management, communications, information sharing, and re-engineering of processes and criminal investigation protocols.
The CTS Activity seeks to develop a comprehensive design and sustainable roll-out process for an integrated case tracking system for the Ghana criminal justice sector; while improving the procedures and policies to strengthen change management, coordination and communication across key justice-sector institutions that sustain the use of an integrated case tracking system.
COUNTRY:
GUATEMALA
YEAR:
2018 - 2021
PROJECT:
USAID / GUATEMALA BIODIVERSITY PROJECT
DESCRIPTION:
Under a sub-contract with Chemonics International, the USAID/Guatemala Biodiversity Project seeks to build national capacity to improve management and governance throughout Guatemala’s System of Protected Areas (SIGAP), and pilot interventions in protected areas in three geographic areas, including the Mayan Biosphere Reserve and the Sierra de las Minas.
TDA provides leadership, coordination, and technical support in the planning, implementation, and ongoing monitoring of programming as it relates to Task 3 (“Build capacity for effective enforcement and prosecution of environmental crimes committed within protected areas”). Among other things, TDA analyzes the capacities and resources needed to monitor and enforce existing laws, regulations and management plans, as well as to investigate, prosecute and adjudicate environmental, wildlife, and related organized crimes (by rangers, police and prosecutors) committed within and around protected areas; and supports the design and execution of human and institutional capacity building (HICD) processes. TDA is also supporting the creation of specialized environmental crime courts and prosecutors' offices in or near the protected and designing efficient case handling systems. TDA also undertakes training in case preparation and trial advocacy skills for both judges and prosecutors.
COUNTRY:
RWANDA
YEAR:
2018 - 2021
PROJECT:
USAID / RWANDA DUTEZE IMBERE UBUTABERA ACTIVITY (DIU)
DESCRIPTION:
Under a sub-contract with Chemonics International Inc., TDA provides technical assistance to design and deliver quality-based legal aid delivery standards and processes with the Ministry of Justice; encourage the strategic use of the Integrated Electronic Case Management System (IECMS); and help design and implement use of the local systems approach in technical areas like gender-based violence (GBV), legal aid, and referral systems.
DIU Activity seeks to increase access to justice and enhance the rule of law in Rwanda through improving judicial effectiveness in both formal court mechanisms and community justice (Abunzi); and improving public understanding of judicial system processes and legal rights.
COUNTRY:
UKRAINE
YEAR:
2017 - 2018
PROJECT:
Chemonics International / USAID Nove Pravosuddya Justice Sector Reform (New Justice)
DESCRIPTION:
Under a series of technical assistance contracts with partner Chemonics International, TDA staff initially provided technical assistance and related services to the then USAID Nove Pravosuddya Justice Sector Reform (New Justice) Program in Ukraine.
In particular, TDA provided expertise in helping to design and develop Community Justice Centers (CJCs) in Ukraine. Initially, four CJCs were designed and established. There are now over 24 of them functioning in Ukraine. CJCs are generally run by non-for-profit charitable organizations and are established at or annexed to a court or to any other justice sector or local government institution but are managed and governed by all stakeholder representatives. CJCs provide a wide range of services to citizens, including legal aid, alternative dispute resolution, and public legal education, among other things. Some also support the implementation of grass-root initiatives to improve court functioning, to increase access to justice, to resolve particular community-identified issues or problems, such as street crime, domestic violence, human trafficking, etc. Since the onset of Russia’s war against Ukraine in February 2022, many of the CJCs have participated in transitional justice activities, including collection of war crimes evidence.
COUNTRY:
GUATEMALA
YEAR:
2016 - 2020
PROJECT:
USAID / GUATEMALA YOUTH AND GENDER JUSTICE ACTIVITY (YGJP)
DESCRIPTION: Working under a sub-contract with Chemonics International Inc., TDA is directing efforts under component two of the Project concerning the improvement of prevention activities and state responses to gender- and sexual- based violence and femicide. TDA is also technically supporting the Project’s work in court administration, designing and implementing reforms in the femicide, minors, and family courts as well as in designing a national vulnerable populations protection system.
The general purpose of the Project is to promote public confidence in institutions and ensure the transformation of the justice system, in response to the needs and challenges that vulnerable populations confront while demanding respect for gender, ethnic and sexual diversity; and also, to prevent and prosecute trafficking in persons (TIP).