The Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) issues a press release on the results of the Rule of Law and Access to Justice Survey in the West Bank, 2021.

The Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) implemented the third edition of the Rule of Law and Access to Justice Survey in cooperation with and support from SAWASYA II Programme (Joint Programme of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations Entity For Gender Equality and The Empowerment of Women (UNWOMEN), and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

The survey took place in August and September 2021 over a household sample of 8,112 Palestinian households, in addition to the experts Survey that includes regular judges, Sharia judges, Prosecution Members, practicing lawyers and trainees, law academicians and law students, as well as the Ministry of Justice Online Services Survey; in order to provide data that contributes in the diagnosis of the reality of the rule of law and access to justice.

The percentage of individuals who interacted^[1] with Palestinian institutions that have to do with security and justice sectors in the West Bank during the COVID-19 pandemic has dropped by 14% when compared to 2018.

About 17% of individuals aged 18 years and above, in the West Bank, have interacted with the Palestinian institutions that have to do with security and justice sectors during the past twelve months, with a decline by a 14% when compared to 2018. The highest percentage was recorded in the Ministry of Interior by 8% and 1% for Prosecution and Tribal Justice.

Sharia Courts are at the top of the Palestinian Justice Institutions in the West Bank in terms of individuals' satisfaction with their performance.

The percentage of individuals (18 years and above) who interacted with Sharia Courts and are satisfied with their performance reached 72%, followed by the Tribal Justice with 63%, Public Prosecution with a satisfaction percentage of 60%, Police with 54% and the satisfaction percentage of Regular Court reached 51%.

Challenges facing the security and justice institutions in the West Bank from the viewpoint of Judges and Prosecution Members.

More than the half of regular judges (56%) believe that people's lack of trust in the regular judiciary is a challenge, while lack of independency is a challenge from the viewpoint of 30% of regular judges. While the prevalence of corruption is a challenge according the viewpoint of 12% of regular judges.

The above three challenges (people's lack of trust, lack of independency and prevalence of corruption) ranked differently among prosecution members, where the percentages of these challenges reached 32%, 26% and 8%, respectively. However, the percentages of these challenges reached 27%, 9% and 4%, respectively, from the viewpoint of Sharia judges.

Two out of three Regular Judges in the West Bank believe that the number of female judges is sufficient.

66% of the Regular Judges in the West Bank indicated that the number of female judges is sufficient. On the other hand and on the number of females in charge of leadership positions in judiciary, 60% of the regular judges in the West Bank agree that the number is sufficient.

58% of the Sharia judges believe that the number of the female Sharia judges is sufficient. While 67% of them indicated that the number of females in charge of leadership positions in Sharia Judiciary is sufficient. As for prosecution members, 82% of them believe that the number of female prosecution members is sufficient, and 81% of the prosecution nembers indicated that the number of females in charge of leadership positions in Prosecution is sufficient.

Percentage of Regular and Sharia Judges and Prosecution Members in the West Bank by their viewpoint on the Number of Females in Judicial/Prosecution Profession, 2021.