Connecting African Judges.
Advancing Justice for People & Planet.
PAAJELLA is a continental association of serving and retired African judges that strengthens justice in the areas of environment, climate, land, and labour through comparative jurisprudence, judicial education, research, and peer exchange.
Three interconnected justice domains
Environmental, land and labour disputes increasingly overlap, so we treat them as one justice agenda.
Environmental & Climate Justice
Climate litigation, environmental governance, scientific evidence and remedies.
Land, Natural Resources & Community Justice
Land tenure, customary and community rights, extractives and resettlement.
Labour Justice & Just Transition
Labour rights, the future of work, green jobs, just transitions and worker protection.
African judges learning from African judges
We do not export one model. We help judiciaries learn from each other and make choices suited to their own context: Connect. Compare. Learn. Advise. Institutionalise.
The Pan-African Association of Judges on Environment, Land and Labour (PAAJELLA) is a continental association of serving and retired African judges committed to strengthening judicial responses to complex and emerging challenges in environmental, climate, land, natural-resource and labour justice. Established in 2022, it is registered in Kenya under the Societies Act (Certificate issued 2 November 2022; Registration No. SOCA.KOT56D).
Connecting African Judiciaries, Advancing Justice
PAAJELLA provides a platform for judges across Africa to connect, exchange experience, engage with comparative jurisprudence, learn from one another and contribute to stronger and more responsive justice systems. PAAJELLA brings together judicial experience, comparative African jurisprudence, research, professional development and institutional learning to address justice challenges that increasingly intersect across national borders and conventional legal fields.
Our distinctive role
PAAJELLA does not prescribe or export a single model. It facilitates African-to-African judicial learning so judiciaries can make informed choices suited to their own contexts. All engagements respect judicial independence, national constitutional frameworks and institutional mandates.
Our mandate
To strengthen the capacity of members and promote judicial collaboration and knowledge exchange in environment, climate, land, natural resources and labour justice, while contributing to the rule of law and access to justice.
Vision
An Africa where judicial excellence, knowledge and collaboration strengthen justice for people and planet.
Mission
To connect African judges, jurisprudence and institutions to strengthen judicial capacity, knowledge and institutional responses to emerging environment, climate, land and labour justice challenges.
Core values
Integrity & Accountability | Judicial Independence | Inclusion & Justice | African Peer Learning & Solidarity | Excellence & Continuous Learning | Evidence & Innovation | Sustainability