Description
On 25 July 2024, Justice Rangajeeva Wimalasena, President of the Nauru Court of Appeal and AIJA Council Member as International Observer, presented the Nauru Declaration on Judicial Well-being to the Regional Judicial Conference on Integrity and Judicial Well-being.
The declaration, which is the first of its kind and recognises that the well-being of members of the judiciary is essential for a thriving and healthy judiciary, was endorsed by international and regional chief justices and senior judicial officers. The President of the International Association of Judges, the President of the Commonwealth Judges and Magistrates Association and other stakeholders participated in this process.
In commenting on the declaration, Justice Wimalasena said:
“Judicial stress is a universal issue that may significantly impact the quality of justice, regardless of whether a judiciary is small or large. While some judiciaries are yet to recognise it as a major concern, Australia has conducted numerous studies highlighting the importance of judicial well-being. Dr Carly Schrever, who has conducted pioneering empirical research on judicial stress in Australia, played a pivotal role, along with 18 other judicial leaders from around the world, in drafting the Nauru Declaration on Judicial Well-being. The insights from the Australian studies, as well as those conducted by the UNODC and other judiciaries, were crucial in shaping the seven principles of the Declaration. I am hopeful that the Nauru Declaration will serve as a catalyst for judiciaries worldwide to acknowledge this issue and take meaningful action to address it.”
Dr Carly Schrever said:
Working with the international group of judges to draft the Nauru Declaration was an unparalleled professional privilege for me. Having researched and worked in the area of judicial wellbeing for almost a decade, it was incredible to see this once taboo topic achieve this level of international prominence and recognition. I was struck by the commonality of judicial wellbeing concerns across the globe, as well as the additional pressures and dilemmas faced by judges in different contexts. Throughout the drafting process, the Australian judiciary’s leadership both in supporting empirical research on judicial wellbeing and in progressing a solutions-focused conversation was acknowledged and applauded. The studies conducted in Australia, together with several others from other parts of the world, provide the evidence-based for the Declaration’s seven principles.
Justice Wimalasena began planning this initiative in late 2023. He gathered 18 members for the drafting committee, including Chief Justices, Presidents, other judicial leaders from 14 countries (including England and Wales, Eastern Caribbean, Canada, Portugal, Nigeria, Ukraine, Jamaica, Papua New Guinea, Tuvalu, Kiribati, Solomon Islands, Singapore, and Australia), and stakeholders from UNODC, along with Dr Carly Schrever. In his words: “it was a challenging journey into uncharted waters, but thanks to the commitment, passion and dedication of everyone involved, we successfully crafted the seven principles of Judicial Well-being.”
The seven principles of Judicial Well-being are:
- Judicial Well-being is essential and must be recognised and supported.
- Judicial stress is not a weakness and must not be stigmatised.
- Judicial well-being is a responsibility of individual judges and judicial institutions.
- Judicial well-being is supported by an ethical and inclusive judicial culture.
- Promoting judicial well-being requires a combination of awareness-raising, prevention, and management activities.
- Judicial well-being initiatives must suit the unique circumstances and requirements of national jurisdictions.
- Judicial well-being is enhanced by human rights.
Justice Wimalasena has now submitted a proposal to the Republic of Nauru to present a resolution to the UN General Assembly to declare an International Day for Judicial Well-being. It was approved by the Cabinet, and the process of submitting the resolution to the UNGA is underway.
You can read the declaration here.