The Justice, Law and Order Sector in Uganda is faced with chronic systemic constraints that hamper improved access to justice and service delivery and maintaining law and order. The sector is constrained by limited human resources and unsuitable accommodation for courts, prisons and police. Corruption, case backlogs and inefficiencies have also had a serious impact. These constraints are compounded by limited investment and decreasing funding levels from the government.

In 2001/2002, the Ugandan authorities, in close collaboration with donor countries, have drawn up a Justice, Law and Order Sector Reform Programme. This programme turns out to be a significant innovation for developing countries as the first attempt to a coordinated sector-wide reform policy. The underlying Strategic Investment Plan for the sector represents the assessment of the problems and challenges facing Uganda's justice system.
Ten institutions, like the Judiciary, Prison Service, Police Force and Directorate of Public Prosecutions joined hands in developing this plan. The goal of this plan is to enable the people of Uganda to live in a safe and just society. and contribute to the eradication of poverty. This will be achieved through justice services and institutions, supported by legal education and reforms, which are accessible to the people of Uganda, especially the poor and the vulnerable.

The representative of the Netherlands Embassy is the chair of the donor group in the Justice, Law and Order Sector. The group meets once a month and co-ordinates its work with the Sector Secretariat within the Ministry of Justice, which has day-to-day responsibility for managing the reform programme.