Media Update: United Nations Pakistan, 21 February 2026

UNDP, EU & FJA

JOINT PRESS RELEASE

Second National Judicial Educators Conference advances judicial excellence in Pakistan

Islamabad, 20 February 2026 - The Federal Judicial Academy (FJA), through funding provided by the European Union and in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) under the Deliver Justice Project, convened the second annual National Judicial Educators Conference in Islamabad, bringing together 45 judicial educators from across the country.

The two-day conference focused on accelerating the implementation of the Islamabad Declaration on the Future of Judicial Excellence, unanimously adopted at last year's conference in October. The Declaration set out a shared vision for strengthening judicial education, emphasized the need for a National Judicial Education Framework, and proposed the establishment of a National Judicial Educators Forum to encourage collaboration and continuous learning.

In the closing ceremony, Mr. Hayat Ali Shah, Director General, Federal Judicial Academy, expressed appreciation for the active engagement and insightful contributions of all participants. He remarked, "This Conference has not only reinforced our shared commitment to judicial excellence but has also provided a dynamic platform for knowledge exchange and collaboration among judicial educators from across Pakistan. The discussions and action plans developed over these two days will be pivotal in developing a unified curriculum and advancing the Islamabad Declaration on the Future of Judicial Excellence. I am confident that the establishment of the National Judicial Educators Forum will sustain this momentum and ensure that judicial education continues to meet the highest standards of quality, inclusivity, and relevance."

Throughout the conference, provincial and national judicial educators participated in interactive group exercises aimed at improving the training of judges and court staff. The discussions emphasized reforms in curriculum design and pedagogical approaches within judicial academies nationwide, with a focus on improving the justice sector's responsiveness to the evolving needs of communities.

Speaking on the occasion, Ms. ?na Kelly, First Secretary, Rule of Law, European Union Delegation to Pakistan, highlighted, "Judicial academies are a key part of a stable, modern and informed judiciary. Through the capacity building of judges and their legal staff, the academies lead the way in sharing case and procedural knowledge and best practice. The Federal and Provincial Judicial Academies of Pakistan, therefore, are a core part and partners of our justice sector support to Pakistan now and for the future."

The two-day conference concluded with the development of a comprehensive action plan to implement the Islamabad Declaration on the Future of Judicial Excellence, aimed at modernizing judicial training practices and strengthening institutions responsible for delivering justice.

Ms. Shahzada Ahmad, Programme Manager, Rule of Law Programme, UNDP Pakistan, emphasized, "We have made significant achievements in strengthening the institutional capacity of judicial academies in Pakistan. This forum and the successful implementation of last year's Declaration will further advance this transformation that has people-centered justice at its heart." She also thanked the FJA, provincial judicial academies, high courts, and the EU for their partnership in advancing the rule of law through the Deliver Justice Project.

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Contact Details:

For additional information, please contact:

• Fizza Bangash, Communications Analyst, UNDP Pakistan, [email protected] or +92 (51) 835 5631
• Samar Saeed Akhtar, Communication, Press and Information Officer at The European Union Delegation to Pakistan, [email protected]

About the Deliver Justice Project:

The 20 Million Euro "Deliver Justice Programme", is funded by the European Union and aims to support reform processes to ensure the delivery of people-centered justice, enhance access to justice for all, particularly women and less privileged groups, and improve service delivery of the security sector in line with constitutional safeguards and international standards in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa including the Merged Districts and Balochistan. The programme is funded by the EU and jointly implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women), and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

The UNDP Rule of Law Programme is implementing a range of interventions to enhance security and justice sector governance in Pakistan.

About UNDP:

UNDP is the leading United Nations organization fighting to end the injustice of poverty, inequality, and climate change. Working with our broad network of experts and partners in 170 countries, we help nations to build integrated, lasting solutions for people and planet.

Learn more at undp.org