FJA's Current International Project Portfolio

Technical Assistance Partnership Program (TAP-FJA)

Global Affairs Canada's (GAC) Technical Assistance Partnership program, is a five-year initiative administered by FJA (TAP-FJA) which provides targeted, short-term technical assistance in judicial reform to National Judicial System Entities (NJSE) in countries eligible for official development assistance. The project aligns with Canada’s Feminist International Assistance Policy (FIAP), with a strong focus on gender equality, access to justice for women and girls, and human rights protection.

Launched as a pilot in 2022, TAP leverages Canadian federal expertise in areas governed by the federal government. Eligible countries can participate by engaging with their local Canadian diplomatic mission to submit a request for assistance. These requests are then forwarded as proposals to GAC in Ottawa, where, before approval, they are reviewed in consultation with FJA to ensure the availability of relevant Canadian judicial expertise.

TAP aims to enhance national policies, strengthen institutional performance, and promote transparency and integrity within judicial systems. This involves collaboration with Canadian federally appointed judges, court administrators, and other judicial stakeholders to share expertise and support sustainable judicial reforms.

The TAP-FJA program serves as an expertise deployment mechanism, allowing FJA to engage with individual countries and offer highly targeted assistance over a 12-month period. Canadian experts are deployed on short missions to build capacity, develop policies, and improve practices. Additionally, if applicable, FJA may organize professional development missions to Canada to facilitate knowledge transfer and practical exposure.

To date, FJA has worked with Colombia, Mongolia, and South Africa, and is currently engaged with Ecuador, Moldova, and Ukraine, addressing unique judicial challenges in each country.

Subject Areas for Technical Assistance

FJA's international work is guided by principles of democracy, the rule of law, and gender equality. We support judicial transparency, accountability, and access to justice, with a focus on vulnerable groups. FJA helps develop legal frameworks, provides practical guidance and training, and promotes judicial environments that reflect democratic values and uphold the rights of all individuals.

Possible Strategic Areas of Intervention with Targeted Results:

Support for Democracy and the Rule of Law:  Judicial understanding and application of the separation of powers are deepened by reinforcing the traditional roles of the three branches of government, including judicial review of legislation and executive actions. Ethical standards are developed and promoted, ensuring appropriate communication channels between the judiciary and other branches while upholding judicial autonomy. Public accountability mechanisms are introduced and streamlined through measures that enhance transparency, combat corruption, and address conflicts of interest. Expertise is harnessed to provide practical advice, assist in developing and implementing transparency measures for judicial operations, and contribute to rich jurisprudence that protects constitutionally guaranteed rights and freedoms.

Judicial Independence and Accountability:  Assistance efforts are focused on fostering judicial independence and accountability through the development of ethical guidelines, judicial codes of conduct, and exposure to Canadian best practices. Conferences and seminars are organized to facilitate knowledge sharing, discuss challenges, and explore innovative solutions to enhance judicial integrity and independence.

Access to Justice:  In the realm of access to justice, expertise is applied to address systemic barriers, promote judicial efficiency, and support vulnerable groups. The work involves enhancing court administration, introducing technological modernization initiatives, and contributing to the development and improvement of legal aid frameworks and specialized courts or court practices, ensuring that women and marginalized communities have fair and equal access to justice.

Economic Development:  Specialized knowledge is shared to develop and implement legal frameworks for key infrastructure sectors such as telecommunications, transport, energy, and banking. Proper frameworks ensure fair practices, regulatory compliance, and efficient market operations. Laws and policies governing economic activities—such as national security, foreign investment, intellectual property, and trade law—reviewed to enhance the legal landscape. To further support economic growth, policies and tools are identified and assistance provided to help small and medium enterprises (SMEs) effectively access judicial systems for dispute resolution, safeguarding their business interests and fostering a stable, transparent business environment.

Transparency in the Justice System: To enhance transparency, capacity building in judicial communications is prioritized, along with the development of media-related roles within courts. The focus is on supporting transparent judicial appointments, publicizing court judgments, and improving court-media relations through high-level seminars and effective crisis communication management.

Efficient Court Administration and Management: In court administration, roles are streamlined, procedural reforms are implemented, and technological systems are modernized through targeted training programs. Efforts are also made to integrate gender equality and equality into administrative processes, ensuring that the judicial system is inclusive and fair. Continuous evaluation undertaken to ensure that judicial administration remains efficient and responsive to evolving needs.