LIMA, June 11, 2019- The World Bank Board of Directors approved a US$ 85 million loan to fund the project Improving Civil Justice Services of Peru, which objective is to increase the efficiency and transparency of justice services and increase user access to and satisfaction with these services throughout the country.
The project supports the design and implementation of new models for justice administration and a system for e-filing of legal cases (EJE) nationwide, which will increase quality standards for citizens and businesses. Additionally, it will promote the development of performance management systems for the monitoring and evaluation of institutions and increased integrity in the justice system; legal aid services and mobile or itinerate justice services to close gaps of access to these services due to economic, geographic and cultural factors, with an emphasis on vulnerable populations and women. It will also implement training and change-management activities in justice institutions.
“This is good news because the loan disbursement will enable the EJE to be expanded, revolutionizing the justice administration. There will be a before and an after because processes will become fully transparent, citizens will have absolute control, and most importantly, this service will be rapid and effective," said Jose Luis Lecaros, president of the Justice Branch.
“The World Bank provides long-term support to justice reforms in Peru. With this project, we are building on this effort with a robust change-management program based on technological innovation, with a focus on transparency, which will lead to improved justice services for citizens,” said Alberto Rodríguez, World Bank director for Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador and Peru. “These results will be achieved through the strengthening of institutions of the civil justice administration, improved production, analysis and use of system information and the reduction of socioeconomic, cultural and geographic barriers to justice system access for vulnerable populations.”
The Improving Civil Justice Services project draws on recommendations of the Advisory Committee for Justice System Reform, the implementation of the National Justice Board, the promotion of meritocracy and the specialization in cases of gender-based and domestic violence. It also builds on the results of pilot experiences that the World Bank and the justice system developed to promote transparency and inclusion in user services.
One such case is the Alegras pilot project (free legal aid in urban areas), which achieved promising results. By increasing the use of extrajudicial conciliation as an alternative mechanism for resolving conflicts, in 2017, 43 offices attended to 223,719 consultations; mediated 11,327 conciliations and provided a public defender in 28,726 cases. The procedure can take up to a month beginning with the first summons until the conflict is resolved in a single hearing. The service is free.
Additionally, EJE, which was established in 60 courts in Lima, has processed 12,559 new cases (59 percent of which are commercial) and reduced the complaint analysis phase by more than half in 10 months, from 14.8 days in June 2017 to 6.6 days in March 2018.
The World Bank loan totals US$ 85 million and has a grace period of six years.
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