Village court

They play a vital role in communities, supporting the most vulnerable, including survivors of Family and Sexual Violence (FSV) and people with disabilities.

In Haku Village in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville, a woman, clearly shaken, tells her story to Village Court Magistrate Anna Sapur and her colleagues.

The visually impaired woman fled her home seeking support on a domestic matter. She is accompanied by a relative and two workers from the nearby Hako Women’s Collective Seif Haus where she had taken refuge.

Payments for service, independent appointment of village court officials and designated areas to carry out court functions are three areas that need improvement in the village court level.

Chief Justice Sir Salamo Injia outlined these areas of concerns during his recent visit to Bereina in Central Province, saying they are areas that the government must look into as areas of concerns.

This is because the village courts hear 80 percent of disputes at the village level before it goes to the district courts or the higher courts.