 |
| |
| Fast Facts: |
| Project
document and reports available
upon request |
| Location: |
Khartoum
State |
| Duration: |
2006
- 2009 |
| Focus
area: |
Democratic
Governance |
| Donors: |
Royal
Netherlands Embassy, UK Department
for International development
(DFID), European Commission. |
| Total
Funds Available: |
US
$ 3,538,920 |
| Partners: |
The
Norwegian Refugee Council (RRC)
endorsed byThe Ministry of Internal
Cooperation (MIC) as well as the
Khartoum State |
| Delivery
for 2007:
|
US
$ 443,775.18
|
| Contact
person in UNDP: |
Esam
Ismail, Programme Officer
esam.ismail@undp.org
|
|
Background
As a result of two decades of civil
strife and the conflict in Darfur, Sudan
faces some serious challenges, such
as the internal displacement of a large
percentage of its population. With a
total of six million displaced men,
women and children, Sudan has the largest
number of internally displaced persons
(IDPs) in the world.
In Khartoum state alone, an estimated
two million IDPs often face harsh
realities. The displaced communities
make up almost 40% of the Khartoum
state population, living in four official
IDP camps and unauthorized squatter
areas which have been established
since 1991. Many of Khartoum’s
IDPs fled the southern part of the
country during Africa’s longest
civil war. Some of them have more
recently fled the conflict in Darfur.
The strenuous socio-economic conditions
of IDPs in Khartoum are exasperated
by the lack of access to justice.
Internally displaced communities have
little understanding of human rights
and rule of law principles. As poverty
and insecurity are often intertwined,
law enforcement and rule of law institutions
need support to improve the services
they provide to vulnerable groups.
The signing of the 2005 Comprehensive
Peace Agreement (CPA) and the creation
of the Interim National Constitution
(INC) present unique opportunities
for a improved process of social inclusion
for IDPs and vulnerable groups.
By capturing the post-conflict peace
dividends and redirecting these resources
towards a development agenda, UNDP
promotes greater safety and access
to human rights for vulnerable people
such as IDPs. Against this background,
the Strengthening Of Human Security
for Vulnerable Groups in Khartoum
IDP Camps and Squatter Areas project
was launched in 2006.
Objectives
To strengthen the immediate human security
for IDPs by improving access to justice
and the capacity of the government to
uphold the core rule of law and human
rights principles; and to empower IDPs
to access and exercise their legal rights
(to make free and informed decisions
to stay or to return, and to participate
in the decision-making that affects
their lives) and their socio-economic
rights (access to basic services and
employment).
To this end, the specific objectives
of the project are:
• Increase awareness of basic
civil, political, economic, social
and cultural rights, Sudanese domestic
laws, the INC, and the CPA amongst
government officials and IDP communities;
• Enhance understanding amongst
IDP communities of the socio-economic
and security situation in the priority
areas of return and passage;
• Improve access to justice
and redress through the establishment
of at least 6 Justice and Confidence
Centres, including the establishment
of paralegal groups at each target
location;
• Strengthen linkages between
IDP communities and local authorities
through the establishment of rights-based
community forums at each target location;
• Introduce community policing
in the squatter areas and IDP camps
in and around Khartoum and increase
understanding of this new concept.
Snapshots of the project's major achievements
• Established six Legal Aid Centres
in Jebel Aulia, Omdurman, Soba, Baraka,
Haj Yusuf and Mayo camps. Each Centre
is open five days a week and managed
by a legal counselor, assisted by a
seconded lawyer for court work.
• Provided legal information and
counseling to over 300 IDPs, including
court representation through six Legal
Aid Centres.
• Registered 4,000 IDPs for Age
Assessment Certificates. In attempting
to either integrate in areas of displacement
or return to areas of origin, the ability
to establish a legal identity is a fundamental
step for IDPs.
• Conducted a series of human
rights and rule of law training courses
targeting local police, local leaders
and community members, including youth
representatives. The training enables
IDPs to deal effectively with legal
problems that may arise in their everyday
lives, such as the constitutional law,
the UN guiding principles on IDPs, and
land law.
• Organized an information campaign
on areas of return, engaging over 25,000
IDPs.
• In order to mark the beginning
of this process, the project successfully
conducted its first international community
policing workshop in 2006 on ‘Policing
Multiculturalism in Khartoum’.
• In collaboration with the UNDP
and UN Mission in Sudan’s (UNMIS)
Police, community members set up four
Community Safety Committees that liaise
directly with the local Government of
Sudan’s (GoS) Popular Police in
addressing safety concerns.
• Following consultations with
the GoS Popular Police, the project
initiated the process of renovating
and establishing four Community Safety
Centres in the area.
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