The Togolese people, like all people, aspire to a justice system that is efficient, transparent, comprehensible and accessible to all. Unfortunately, the government's efforts in this direction are hampered by a number of dysfunctions, not least the phenomenon of canvassing.
This phenomenon, the result of a lack of information among litigants about the judicial system, is a veritable plague which, if it is not treated quickly and properly, risks metastasizing and gangrenousizing the entire judicial system.
To this end, in view of the importance of this mechanism in the fight against judicial canvassing and the ransoming of litigants, for quality justice, the Ministry of Justice and Legislation in partnership with the association Solidarité Mondiale pour les Personnes Démunies et les Détenus (SMPDD), proceeded this Tuesday, July 30, 2024, at the Direction de l'Accès au Droit et à la justice ( DADJ), located in Lomé to a capacity building workshop for the animators of the Bureau d'accueil d'information et d'orientation des justiciables ( BAIOJ), under the presence of the Director of Access to Law and Justice, Mr. TAGBE Koffi and SMPDD President, Coco De Koffi WOENAGNON and his colleague Joël Keossagni, SMPDD Program Director and Acting Coordinator.
Organized by the Ministry of Justice and Legislation, in collaboration with the SMPDD through the Direction de l'accès au droit et à la justice, this workshop is part of the Access to Law and Justice project.
The aim of this workshop is to enhance the skills of BAIOJ coordinators, in order to improve the quality and efficiency of the services offered to litigants, while improving documentation and reporting techniques for BAIOJ activities.
On the other hand, this training aims to equip facilitators with advanced skills, enabling them to effectively meet contemporary challenges. It will also enable them to continue to offer a high-quality service to those subject to the law, and to guarantee the reliable and effective pillars of access to law and justice in Togo.
The workshop, which opened today, will take place over three days and will combine theoretical and practical sessions. Trainers will use interactive presentations, case studies, role-playing and group discussions to promote learning. Training materials will be distributed to all participants for reference after the workshop.
Exhortation to work
In their speeches, Mr TAGBE and Coco De Koffi WOENAGNON invited all participants to take an active part in the work that would enable them to carry out their mission to perfection.
"Not doubting your sense of duty and your ethics, I trust that you will not betray the trust placed in you by taking the necessary steps not to allow yourselves to be infected, on the occasion of this mission, by the canvassing virus that you are called upon to prevent", said TAGBE Koffi, Director of Access to Law and Justice. As for the participant, Miss LOTA Dissi Gladys, she welcomed the opportunity and pledged to play her part in eradicating canvassing and better managing future challenges.
As a reminder, the first reception, information and referral offices (BAIOJ) were set up in the Lomé and Kara courts. They were later extended to the Dapaong court. They have played a crucial role in improving access to justice for vulnerable populations in Togo. In March 2022, the SMPDD initiated an initial training course for BAIOJ legal facilitators. The aim of the training was to equip the facilitators with the skills they needed to better welcome, listen to and guide litigants. The results have been significant, enabling better care for clients and a reduction in cases of misinformation and fraud.
The defender
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