Fair, Accountable, Independent and Responsible (FAIR) Judiciary Program

Project Dates: October 2011 - September 2016
Ukraine has taken steps to improve its judicial system, which was previously criticized for not being sufficiently independent, impartial, or accountable.

Over the past decade, Ukraine’s citizens have bemoaned the lack of accountability and transparency within the country’s judicial system. An independent, impartial, and accountable judicial sector is fundamental to the protection of Ukrainians’ basic rights, the fair resolution of disputes, and stable economic and political development. The USAID Fair, Accountable, Independent, and Responsible (FAIR) Judiciary Program in Ukraine supported legislative, regulatory, and institutional reform of judicial institutions to build a foundation for a more accountable, independent judiciary and protect citizens’ rights. The program also worked with civil society organizations to increase the involvement of the public and media in judicial reforms and ensure that citizens’ voices were heard.

Prior Initiatives

FAIR followed the Ukraine Combatting Corruption and Strengthening Rule of Law (UROL) project, which ran from 2006 to 2011. The project worked with the judiciary, civil society, and Parliament to design and implement measures that reduced corruption and improved the skills of individuals working in the justice sector. In five years, UROL provided continuing education training to more than 1,700 judges and 1,200 justice sector personnel. The project also facilitated the development of the country’s first court staff code of conduct, which applied to 35,000 court staff.