Handbook on Restorative justice programmes

participants about their rights in it, or for patronage, corruption or gender
bias. To alleviate some of these shortcomings of the process, a programme
has been initiated to train community leaders, many of them women, as
Barangay justice advocates.
22
A recent review of three broad forms of Shalish (community-based justice
system) in Bangladesh and the Baranguay justice system in the
Philippines noted that the outcomes of such systems are far from consis-
tent, with frequent problems of unjust outcomes, gender bias, corruption,
domination of the process by the local elite and political patronage.
Reform and enhancement of such systems can no doubt be integrated
into broader development, institutional development and empowerment
initiatives. However, purely technical reforms that do not address the
structural problems at the root of corruption and bias or do not address
the power imbalances that typically characterize these informal processes
are unlikely to produce fair restorative justice outcomes.
23
In Uganda, the local council courts have been institutionalized by statute
and have the power to grant remedies such as compensation, restitution,
reconciliation or apology, as well as more coercive measures.
24