 |
| |
| Fast Facts: |
| Project
document and reports available
upon request |
| Location: |
Darfur
– UNDP sub-offices in El
Fasher, Nyala and El Geneina |
| Duration: |
September
2004 – March 2009 |
| Focus
area: |
Democratic
Governance |
| Donors: |
UNDP/BCPR,
Royal Netherlands Embassy, UK’s
Department for International Development,
Swedish International Development
Agency. |
| Total
Funds Available: |
US$
8 million |
| Partners: |
Darfur
State Universities
Amel Center
International Rescue Committee
African Center for Human Rights |
| Delivery
for 2007:
|
US
$ 2 ,833,418.26 |
| Contact
person in UNDP: |
Toby
Bonini, Programme Officer,
toby.bonini@undp.org |
|
Background
Four years after the fighting broke
out, the situation in Darfur continues
to be characterized by a lack of human
security. More than 200,000 people are
estimated to have died and at least
2 million have been displaced from their
homes - almost one third of the 6 million
strong population of Darfur before the
conflict.
Despite the security situation, humanitarian
agencies have been able to deliver
humanitarian assistance. However,
because of the continuing uncertainty
regarding security conditions in areas
of return, the overwhelming majority
of internally displaced persons (IDPs)
do not plan to go back to their villages
in the near future. Consequently,
the level of tension in the camps,
as well as among other at risk of
conflict populations and host communities,
has been increasing since the beginning
of the crisis.
To increase human security by promoting
human rights and access to justice,
and responding to the immediate and
medium-term needs of the legal infrastructure
in Darfur, UNDP, in partnership with
the International Rescue Committee
(IRC) and a number of Sudanese human
rights organisations, has embarked
on an ambitious Rule of Law Programme
in Darfur.
With the strong support of the Netherlands
Government, the UK’s Department
for International Development, and
the Swedish International Development
Agency, in late 2004 UNDP launched
the project ”Strengthening Rule
of Law and Sustainable Protection
in Darfur”, the only programme
led by a UN organization in a crisis
environment, apart from the Occupied
Palestinian Territories. With a strong
presence in El Fasher, Nyala and El
Geneina and the support of 20 national
and international staff, the project
has gained recognition by all partners
and beneficiaries and generated sustained
donor commitment.
Objectives
The principal objective of the UNDP
Rule of Law Programme in Darfur is to
build on the existing legal infrastructure
by strengthening the immediate protection
of civilians and providing a form of
legal redress for human rights violations,
protection deficits and lack of security.
UNDP works in a variety of ways with
all the legal institutions in Darfur
– including the judiciary, the
attorney-general’s office, lawyers,
paralegals, the police and other law-enforcement
bodies.
To this end, the specific objectives
of the project are:
• To raise awareness of legal
rights and legal options amongst communities
in Darfur;
• To raise awareness of basic
human rights and rule of law principles
amongst law-enforcement bodies, including
the police, the Sudan Liberation Army,
the military and other security forces;
• To increase access to justice
and empower communities to consider
all possibilities of legal redress;
• To provide a legal option
to address the human rights violations
which are a characteristic of the
conflict in Darfur;
• To build confidence in the
legal infrastructure in Darfur; and
• To strengthen accountability
for all, especially government institutions.
Snapshots of the project's major achievements
• Established a Legal Aid Network
made up of some 60 Sudanese lawyers
in all the Darfur states, providing
legal aid services to vulnerable groups.
The Network provides legal counselling
and has dealt with over 300 cases leading
to the release of several people who
were arbitrarily detained.
• Established seven Justice and
Confidence Centres (JCCs) in North,
South and West Darfur. With the exception
of the JCC in Durti camp, UNDP runs
the JCCs in Darfur jointly with IRC,
with the support of 150 trained paralegals
also known as “community mobilisers”
as they are selected from the community
where the Centre operates.
• Trained some 10,000 civil society
and community members, police, security
services, government officials, the
Attorney-General’s office and
the judiciary, on core principles of
rule of law, human rights, and justice.
• In cooperation with Darfur universities,
established a Legal Information Centre
in each Darfur state. The Centres provide
a space where those involved in the
legal profession; paralegals and students,
can learn, discuss legal issues and
exchange ideas.
• Supports both legal aid organisations
and individual lawyers by building their
capacity in all aspects of their work
– including case-work, case-management
and administrative matters.
• Introduced “Mobile Legal
Aid Clinics” in Kutum and Kebkabiya
(in North Darfur). During this initiative
a lawyer from the Legal Aid Network
in El Fasher and a UNDP Rule of Law
officer visited these areas and provided
legal advice and assistance to conflict
affected populations.
• Organised and carried out a
series of seminars and workshops for
all actors within the legal system,
in addition to group sessions where
legal issues are raised and discussed.
• Organised several workshops
targeting lawyers’ working on
cases related to child protection, women
and juvenile justice.
• Supported capacity development
of 2, 000 people in the three states
of Darfur (judges, police, law professionals,
traditional leaders and paralegals)
by providing training on basic human
rights principles and core rule of law.
• Supported 10 Rule of law Seminars
and public debates in the three states
of Darfur on the role of native administration
and conflict resolution, attracting
more than 300 people (police, law professionals,
traditional leaders, local communities
and paralegals).
• UNDP information center facilities
provided access to internet facilities
and research for over 1,000 people from
academia, law professionals and local
communities.
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