Resolving disputes in Abyei
Because Abyei is disputed territory, there is no formal justice system in the area.
The Joint Community Court (JCC) was set up as part of peace dialogues facilitated by Concordis. This was to address the lack of an agreed tribunal to resolve legal disputes between Misseriya and Ngok Dinka people. Comprising a mix of Misseriya and Ngok Dinka traditional judges, they are accepted by both sides.
We provide ongoing support and coaching for the judges, and this year we also built them a physical court building for hearings. When we conducted a survey, we found that women trust the Community Court, but said that the court struggles to deal with cases of rape, child offenders, adultery and prostitution. We worked with the court's judges and legal experts in Misseriya and Dinka traditional law to create a hybrid traditional legal system to manage these difficult cases in a way both communities can accept. This legal system uses Sharia and Dinka doctrines to support women who have been attacked. There is now a path to solve issues surrounding sexual and gender-based violence in the area.