On the morning of May 31, the closing conference for the "Justice and Legal Empowerment Programme in Vietnam” (EU JULE) took place under the organization of the Ministry of Justice (MOJ), the Delegation of the European Union to Vietnam, and the United Nations in Vietnam.

The EU JULE program, funded by the EU and officially launched in August 2018, was signed between the Government of Vietnam and the European Union on December 2, 2015. Its overarching goal is to enhance the development of a socialist rule of law through a more reliable and accessible judicial system. The program comprises two components: The PAGoDA component, managed by the MOJ in collaboration with UN agencies in Vietnam (UNDP and UNICEF), focuses on technical support and capacity building for various government agencies and organizations. The Justice Initiative Facilitation Fund (JIFF), managed by Oxfam in Vietnam, supports social organizations in promoting legal and judicial access for the grassroots population through the implementation of justice initiatives.

EU Ambassador speech at EU JULE

Mr. Julien Guerrier, Ambassador of the European Union Delegation to Vietnam

After more than six years, EU JULE has made significant contributions to improving the quality and effectiveness of legal education and dissemination; enhancing the quality of legal advice, legal support, and defense representation for the general population, especially vulnerable groups; contributing to the improvement of the legal framework and implementation guidelines for enhancing the realization of rights and access to justice, in alignment with the 2013 Constitution and international treaties to which Vietnam is a party; and strengthening integrity and transparency in the judicial sector.

At the conference, representatives from the Supreme People's Court, the Supreme People's Procuracy, the Vietnam Bar Federation, the Vietnam Lawyers Association, local Departments of Justice, social organizations, UN organizations, and Oxfam in Vietnam acknowledged the project's role and significance and shared valuable lessons learned from practical experiences. Mr. Pham Quang Tu, Deputy National Director, Oxfam in Vietnam, emphasized four key lessons from the operation of the JIFF: the need to develop people-centred models, particularly for vulnerable groups as central subjects; developing multi-stakeholder models and leveraging community groups; cooperation and learning from experiences to build a sustainable ecosystem; and expanding resources and enhancing the capacity of grantees.

Oxfam DND at EU JULE

Mr. Pham Quang Tu, Deputy National Director, Oxfam in Vietnam, shared four key lessons from the operation of the JIFF

EU representatives also shared their expectations for the next phase of the EU JULE program, aiming to continue partnering with the Vietnamese Government in its judicial reform objectives.

At the conference, Deputy Minister of Justice, Mr. Nguyen Khanh Ngoc, praised the project's success and contributions.