DRC: Launch of two AfriMAP reports
25 June 2009

June 24 and 25 witnessed a double launching in DRC of two  publications: on the military justice system, and on the education sector, both of which were published by AfriMAP and OSISA (both are available in full text only in French for the time being, but will be translated; the summaries are available at the links here). 

The education report stressed that an urgent need for a massive increase in the education budget was needed in order to pay for the expansion of teacher training, development and distribution of teaching materials including books, the construction of new schools and the improvement of the conditions of work for teachers, especially those in remote areas of the country.  The report also warned that millions of children in the Democratic Republic of Congo are in danger of missing out on an education, if the management of funds within the education system in that country is not addressed as a matter of urgency.

The Military Justice Report, on the other hand, called for urgent reforms to be completed in order to guarantee basic rights and ensure effective access to justice.  Issues warranting attention are the lack of independence of the military judges, lack of respect for the rules of fair trial, and the fact that the military courts have jurisdiction over civilians. The report calls for far-reaching reforms in the legal framework that governs the military justice system, in order to ensure that civilians are not prosecuted in military courts and that the procedure in military courts respects the right to a fair trial.  Following the launching, workshops were organized in which attended  representatives of the DRC government namely: the ministries of Defense and Education respectively; senators, military magistrates; CSOs; development partners; teachers; sector specialists; in-country donors and other civil society organizations.