A/HRC/14/26 quasi-judicial bodies, including treaty bodies and special procedures decisions, on domestic law. 43. Courts should develop and standardize induction courses and legal education programmes. Continuing legal education 44. Besides the importance of pre-service and initial educational initiatives, particular weight should be given to continuing learning opportunities for judges19 and lawyers20 to allow them to discharge their duties independently in accordance with the relevant professional standards and at a satisfactory level. United Nations treaty bodies have also made relevant observations and recommendations in this respect.21 45. Previous Special Rapporteurs noted that while, in certain cases, judicial organs have decided on the requirement of continuing legal education, no action had been taken to translate these requirements into legislation. In other cases, legislation reflects the requirement for continuing legal education for judges, but that requirement is not implemented in practice. 46. Courts should introduce and develop programmes of continuing legal education, including a range of presentations, conferences, interactive dialogues, workshops, seminars and electronic publications that address judges’ educational needs in terms of human rights. Such programmes can provide an opportunity for the courts to evaluate and monitor progress in facilitating the enjoyment of human rights through judicial action by noting the gaps which remain in the domestic system and analysing the consistency of national laws with international norms. G. Specificities of continuing education Content 47. Particular attention should be given to the different levels and categories of judges. Education programmes should be designed to take into account the different perceptions, expectations, responsibilities and interests of each level and category. 48. The Special Rapporteur notes that in a great number of States, pre-service, initial and continuing legal education focuses almost entirely on domestic criminal, civil, commercial and administrative law and the respective procedural provisions. Only in a few States does continuing legal education cover the international obligations entered into by the State, particularly in the human rights sphere. The Special Rapporteur is of the opinion that pre-service, initial and continuing legal education should include relevant recent case law at the international and regional levels and major legislative changes, which often stem from the ratification of international or regional human rights instruments and other recent developments in human rights law. It should further increase capacity-building on human rights issues, in particular their application to specific cases.22 49. Sometimes, legal systems undergo an entire structural and systemic transformation such as has been witnessed by the Special Rapporteur in a recent country visit, notably at 19 20 21 22 GE.10-12622 Most recently A/HRC/11/41/Add.2, para. 99; A/HRC/4/25/Add.2, para. 26. See A/HRC/11/41/Add.2, para. 65; A/HRC/4/25/Add.2, para. 41; E/CN.4/2006/52/Add.4. para. 62; E/CN.4/2000/61/Add.1, para. 155. CAT/C/KAZ/CO/2, para. 27. For lawyers see Recommendation No. R (2000) 21, Principle II (3). 11

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