About 30 traditional chiefs have undergone training on rights and access to justice in Duk County, Jonglei State.
The three-day empowerment training for the traditional leaders was organized by the Initiative for Peace Communication Association (IPCA).
Babyson Brooklyn Edward, an IPCA lawyer, and the trainer told Radio Tamazuj that the training which concluded Monday empowered local chiefs with skills on customary laws application, women, and child rights.
“We are having a program on access to justice in Duk. In our training, we introduced them to customary laws and we trained them on child rights and women's rights, especially on the issue of rights to property inheritance. We also taught about the cases which are under their jurisdiction and the ones they should move to the higher authority,” Brooklyn said.
The IPCA lawyer pointed out that they will continue with the program to ensure that everyone accesses justice.
Deng Mabur, the Duk County paramount chief, said the training will help them improve on services offered after learning about the rights of special groups and jurisdiction of traditional justice systems.
For his part, Elijah Manyok Ayiei, the Duk County Executive Director, welcomed the initiative and called on IPCA to train the remaining 38 chiefs in the county, emphasizing that the training skills will help forge peace by ensuring that justice is rendered to all.