LFJL publishes its final Destoori report of findings and recommendations for Libya’s new constitution, to be delivered to the Constitutional Drafting Assembly

Lawyers for Justice in Libya (LFJL) is proud to announce the publication of the ‘Destoori Report and Recommendations’. The Destoori report is based on the findings of Rehlat Watan, during which LFJL and its Destoori Guides travelled all across Libya in order to engage with over 3000 people from 37 different communities. LFJL will deliver the Destoori Report to Libya’s Constitutional Drafting Assembly (CDA) in order to ensure they hear the voices of the Libyan people. 

LFJL was able to canvas the hopes and opinions of the Libyan people for their new constitution and the Destoori Report and Recommendations is based on over 200 in-depth surveys, 500 interviews and interactive activities with hundreds of citizens. The publication aims to combine this substantive outreach effort into concrete findings that are truly representative of the Libyan public. LFJL is grateful to the participants encountered throughout the tour, for their time, enthusiasm and generosity, and hopes that the Destoori Report and Recommendations is a fitting product of these encounters.

LFJL Director, Elham Saudi,, expressed that “It was a great privilege to meet with so many Libyans and to listen to their voices. My colleagues and I were genuinely humbled by the participants’ enthusiasm and eagerness to discuss constitutional issues. There was a very clear, and deeply held, understanding of the need for the constitution to protect the inherent human rights of all Libyans.”

In the spirit of this inclusive report, LFJL encourages the CDA to continue its outreach and engagement activities, the focus of which must be shifted to the streets with discussions held with the ordinary members of the public. These activities are vital foundations necessary in order for a representative constitution which truly protects the interests of all Libyans to be achieved. LFJL Director, Elham Saudi, added “it is vital to speak to Libyans in the course of their daily lives, and to take the discussions from the hotels and conference halls to the streets of Libya.”

LFJL remains concerned that the CDA is yet to be fully constituted, as several communities are still without seats, and believes that this may potentially undermine the representative nature of the proposed constitution. The Destoori Report and Recommendations aim to represent all communities and interests, and LFJL has ensured that the concerns of particular groups such as the Tebu and Amazigh people are discussed, as well as those of women, persons with disabilities and young people.  However, this does not replace the role of the CDA in engaging with these communities and to ensure all groups are represented at the drafting table. 

LFJL urges the CDA to take the Destoori Report and Recommendations findings into consideration when drafting the new Libyan constitution. Representing 37 different communities and over 3000 people, the findings of the report are extensive, and contain the demands of the Libyan people.  LFJL offers its assistance to the CDA or any of its members in the context of this vital process.

A film documenting the key highlights of the trip will be available soon, but in the meantime please visit LFJL’s Destoori Youtube page and comment on the Destoorireport on our Facebook or Twitter pages,  #Destoori.

The Destoori Report and Recommendations can be found here. 

For press and media inquiries please contact LFJL at: info@libyanjustice.org

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