The Dominican Republic today became the eleventh country in the Americas to join the Inter-American Program of Judicial Facilitators (PIFJ) of the Organization of American States (OAS), an initiative that promotes access to justice, conflict resolution, and the exercise of rights in communities facing vulnerability and located far from urban centers.
The framework cooperation agreement between the OAS, through the PIFJ, and the Judicial Council (CPJ) of the Dominican Republic was signed at the Supreme Court of Justice (SCJ) auditorium. The ceremony was led by Justice Samuel Arias Arzeno, Judge of the First Chamber of the SCJ, together with Juan Carlos Roncal, General Coordinator of the OAS/PIFJ; Esteban de la Torre, the OAS Representative in the Dominican Republic, and Jhonattan Toribio, Director General of Administration and Judicial Career.
Justice Arias highlighted the importance of the agreement, noting that Judicial Facilitators are community leaders who voluntarily collaborate within their communities, promoting a justice system that is peaceful, timely, and close to the people. He explained that their role focuses particularly on working with the most vulnerable and hard-to-reach communities, providing basic legal guidance and fostering dialogue, peace, and social harmony.
For his part, the General Coordinator of the OAS/PIFJ emphasized the importance of the partnership, stating that "bringing justice closer to communities means strengthening democracy at its roots. Accessible justice is both a guarantee and a human right that we are all called to uphold." He added, "We are very pleased and excited about the Dominican Republic's inclusion in the program, and we look forward to working with the country's judicial authorities as soon as possible to bring justice to those who still lack access to it."
The agreement also formalizes the launch of the National Service of Judicial Facilitators in the country, under the framework of the OAS/PIFJ. The event was attended by the ambassadors of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the Republic of Italy, countries that have supported the OAS in promoting this program across the Americas, as well as ambassadors from other American countries, judges, judicial officers, and community leaders.
In addition to the Dominican Republic, the PIFJ currently operates in Argentina, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, the United States, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama, Paraguay, and Peru.
