Justice Wimalasena highlights PNG’s leadership in advancing Judicial Well-Being and Integrity at the upcoming 2025 International Conference in Port Moresby

The Papua New Guinea Judiciary is taking centre stage in the international legal community as it prepares to host the International Judicial Integrity and Judicial Well-Being conference from 20–22 August 2025 in Port Moresby. This prestigious event, co-hosted by the PNG Judiciary, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), and the Commonwealth Secretariat, will gather judges, judicial leaders, and experts from around the world under the theme: “From Principles to Action: Advancing Judicial Well-Being as the Foundation for Integrity, Resilience, and Public Trust.”

The conference follows PNG’s strong leadership in championing the Nauru Declaration on Judicial Well-Being, a landmark statement adopted in July 2024 that calls for mental health, integrity, and support systems to be prioritised in court systems worldwide. Under the guidance of Chief Justice of PNG Chief Sir Gibuma Gibbs Salika and Deputy Chief Justice Ambeng Kandakasi, PNG has committed to embedding these principles into its own judiciary and now stands ready to help lead regional and global reform.

Hon. Justice Rangajeeva Wimalasena, President of the Nauru Court of Appeal, Adjunct Professor, Australian Catholic University has emphasised that judiciaries can meaningfully implement the principles of the Nauru Declaration on Judicial Well-being by embedding well-being into institutional policy and culture. He stated that this must begin with formally incorporating well-being into courts’ strategic plans, HR policies, induction programs, and training curricula.

To support this, Justice Wimalasena called for judicial well-being surveys, annual well-being reporting, and the proper resourcing of support systems such as counselling, peer networks, mentoring, and workload relief options. He also stressed the need for judicial education to cover vicarious trauma, emotional regulation, and anger management, alongside operational reforms aimed at improving safety, reducing administrative burdens, and promoting a healthy work environment.

Crucially, Justice Wimalasena highlighted the role of judicial leadership in creating a supportive culture, stating: “Senior judges must model healthy boundaries, speak openly about seeking support, and recognise good practice. Courts must treat help-seeking not as a weakness but as a strength.”

Justice Wimalasena has highlighted the growing psychological pressures faced by judicial officers today, including chronic workloads, exposure to traumatic material, professional isolation, and public or online vilification. He also pointed to workplace bullying, moral distress, and change fatigue from ongoing reforms as critical concerns impacting judicial well-being.

Importantly, he called for courts to enforce zero-tolerance policies on bullying and discrimination, and to normalise help-seeking. He added that leaders must share their own experiences to reduce stigma and foster a culture where mental health is openly discussed and prioritised.

Justice Wimalasena underscored the inseparable link between judicial integrity and judicial well-being, warning that neglecting one will inevitably weaken the other. He explained that well-being sustains integrity by protecting judges from the cognitive impacts of fatigue, burnout, and moral distress, which can impair judgment and increase the risk of errors or ethical lapses.

Conversely, integrity protects well-being, with fair judicial administration, transparent leadership, and a respectful court culture helping to reduce stress and prevent moral injury.

“A stressed court cannot uphold the highest standards, and a court that tolerates a lack of integrity undermines morale and trust,” Justice Wimalasena stated.

He emphasized that judicial well-being is not just a personal issue, it is central to the quality of justice and must be treated as a shared responsibility by judiciaries, governments, and society at large.

Justice Wimalasena emphasised the crucial role of judicial leadership in fostering a culture that upholds both ethical standards and judicial well-being. He stated that leaders must set the tone from the top by publicly endorsing the Nauru Declaration and embedding its principles into court policies, speeches, and practice directions.

He praised the Papua New Guinea judiciary for its leadership, highlighting Chief Justice, Chief Sir Gibuma Gibbs Salika’s commitment to institutionalising the Declaration and the upcoming Judicial Well-being Conference in Port Moresby as a key milestone.

He urged leaders to create open channels for dialogue, including town halls, anonymous feedback mechanisms, and independent reviews after critical incidents, ensuring transparency and continuous learning.

Justice Wimalasena highlighted the transformative potential of technology in enhancing judicial efficiency while also reducing stress and burnout among judicial officers, provided it is implemented thoughtfully and with strong safeguards.

He noted that tools like smart case management systems can help balance caseloads, flag potential overload, and promote fair distribution of work. Additionally, document and evidence management tools, including judgment templates, citation managers, and AI-assisted research, can significantly reduce administrative burdens and allow judges to focus on substantive decision-making.

Justice Wimalasena also encouraged judiciaries to offer digital self-assessment tools so judges can track their own stress levels and access timely support, reinforcing the importance of proactive well-being management in a modern judicial environment.

He also emphasised the vital role of regional platforms, such as the Teieniwa Vision, in promoting judicial integrity and well-being across Pacific Island judiciaries. He noted that these platforms can help embed well-being within anti-corruption frameworks, reinforcing that integrity and well-being are mutually reinforcing priorities.

He advocated for the use of regional surveys and benchmarks to identify shared stressors and guide targeted reforms, as well as peer exchanges, mentoring programs, and joint training on key issues like trauma-informed judging, cyber-harassment, and court governance.

Justice Wimalasena praised the Papua New Guinea judiciary for its leadership in forming the Pacific Islands Judicial Officers’ Association, describing it as a model for how regional collaboration can advance independence, integrity, and most importantly, judicial well-being.

Justice Wimalasena stressed that judiciaries can sustain resilience and public trust despite growing political, social, and institutional pressures by consistently upholding fair processes, transparent practices, and prioritising the well-being of judges. He highlighted that fair and reasoned decisions, along with respectful courtroom conduct, build trust even when rulings are unpopular.

He emphasised the importance of transparent communication through plain-language judgments, timely updates, and correcting misinformation swiftly. Safeguarding judicial independence requires clear and politically insulated procedures for recusal, case assignments, and complaints.

Justice Wimalasena pointed to the need for strong internal cohesion through collegiality programs, ethics refreshers, and prompt, visible support for judges after critical incidents to maintain a steady and trusted judicial institution.

Justice Wimalasena highlighted that Pacific Island nations can strengthen judicial well-being and institutional integrity by adapting proven international models while customizing them to local cultural and institutional contexts. He noted the Pacific’s leadership, especially Nauru’s role in spearheading the Nauru Declaration on Judicial Well-being and proposing to the UN to proclaim 25 July as the International Day for Judicial Well-being.

He emphasized that although judicial well-being is a global concern, the unique challenges faced by Pacific nations call for a region-specific study. To this end, the Australian Catholic University, in collaboration with UNDP, UNODC, and PJSP, is preparing the first regional judicial well-being study to guide evidence-based reforms.

Justice Wimalasena also recommended adopting best practices like the UK’s Statement of expected behaviour, scaled appropriately, to build stronger, more resilient, and supportive judicial systems across the Pacific.