2014 Review of NORLAM

The Norwegian Mission of Rule of Law Advisers to Moldova (NORLAM) was established in March 2007. It is a bilateral cooperation programme between Moldova and Norway. The overall objective of NORLAM is to promote good governance, help strengthen the rule of law and promote human rights in Moldova. The programme supports the European integration process of Moldova and works in line with the Government of Moldova’s Strategy for Justice Sector Reform 2011- 2016. It currently addresses aspects of reform in the judiciary, prosecution, corrections, and juvenile justice. This report assesses NORLAM’s contribution to justice reform, examining the previous five years of assistance, since the last review was undertaken. It provides guidance on how the programme should continue and what action is required to maximise the effectiveness and impact of this bilateral support beyond 2016.

The methodology used was based on the OECD-DAC evaluation guidelines (relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, impact, sustainability and coordination) and the ISSAT evaluation methodology. The review process included data collection and a desk review of strategic and sectoral documents from NORLAM, the Norwegian Ministry of Justice (NMoJPS) and the Government of Moldova; interviews with the key stakeholders in Oslo; a field mission to Moldova that involved meetings and interviews with the principal justice actors based in Chisinau as well as all NORLAM staff, site visits (including two prisons and the National Institute of Justice), and direct observation of NORLAM facilitated seminars.