Bridging the State-Society Gap

The Community Justice Liaison Unit of Papua New Guinea

The Community Justice Liaison Unit was established under Papua New Guinea's (PNG) law and justice sector program, with the support of the Australian government, to enhance the capacity of PNG's civil society and facilitate its involvement in policy development and delivery of services in the justice sector. The case study highlights those efforts in a context characterized by broad-based ownership of sector reforms and shared interests among civil society and government actors. In addition, it underscores the role external actors can play in supporting traditional institutions---such as PNG approaches to mediation and restorative justice---while encouraging links between the formal and informal aspects of the justice system.