Latest News
Equipping the Frontlines: ADB Training Enhances Timorese Police Investigations of Violence against Women and Girls
In partnership with Timorese police, ADB trained 119 police officers to improve the treatment of women and children participating in police investigations. ADB experts taught the proper use ADB-donated digital recorders, trauma-sensitive questioning, and applicable legal and socio-cultural protocols to the police officers, enabling them to obtain admissible testimony with the least amount of distress to survivors and witnesses. A key part of ADB’s broader support to justice-sector reform in Timor-Leste, this initiative aims to improve access to justice and safeguard vulnerable voices.
ADB has been working with the Timor-Leste government to make justice more accessible for victim-survivors of gender-based violence (GBV) since 2021. On 25 April 2025, ADB supplied audio recorders and privacy dividers to prosecutors, and judicial and police officers, enabling them to interview victims-survivors and witnesses of GBV—especially women and girls—in a manner that better respects their privacy, reducing the emotional trauma caused by questioning. ADB also provided judges with a knowledge resource on adjudicating GBV cases and on reducing the difficulties faced by women and girls in the formal justice system.
The Luxembourg government commended the Islamic Finance for the Philippines Technical Assistance (TA) as a model initiative in a meeting with representatives of ADB and Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) on 10 April 2025. This USD 1.1 million TA, implemented from 2017 to 2024, has achieved significant milestones. Key accomplishments include the enactment of Republic Act No. 11439 (the Islamic Banking Law), the issuance of a USD 1 billion sovereign sukuk on Nasdaq Dubai, training of over 1,700 professionals, and licensing of Islamic banking and insurance providers.
On 28 March 2025, ADB and the Uzbekistan Supreme Court held a ceremony to mark the successful conclusion of a two-year judicial capacity-building program and the handover of 295 copies of the International Commercial Arbitration Handbook for Judges to be distributed to all economic court judges nationwide.
On this episode of INSOL talks, Nicholas shares his perspectives on the insolvency systems in Asia - with its diverse legal, economic, and cultural landscapes - and his reflections on the career path that led him to ADB and law and policy reform work. Check out the podcast now!