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| Fast
Facts: |
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• Project
Document |
| Location: |
Aweil,
Bentiu, , Bor, Juba, Malakal,
Wau, and Yei |
| Duration: |
April 2006 -31 December 2009 |
| Focus
area: |
Democratic
Governance |
| Contributions(USD): |
DEN:
1,800,000
EUCOMM: 337,404
NET: 1,486,153
SIDA: 150,000
UNDP: 393,195 |
| Partners: |
Implemented by UNDP (Direct Execution),
in close cooperation with Government
and civil society stakeholders. |
| Delivery(USD):
|
2007:
2,691,000
2008: 3,597,000 |
| Contact
person in UNDP: |
Thusitha
Pilapitiya,
Rule of Law Head of Unit , thusitha.pilapitiya@undp.org |
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Background
The prolonged civil
war in the Sudan, which ended with
the signing of the Comprehensive Peace
Agreement (CPA) between the Government
of Sudan (GoS) and the Sudan People’s
Liberation Movement/Army (SPLM/A)
called for the establishment of new
laws as the cornerstones for lasting
peace, unity and democracy. In spite
of the establishment of key institutions
of governance and pronouncements on
constitutional rights, the Government
of Southern Sudan (GoSS) faces numerous
challenges in the areas of access
to justice and rule of law.
In Southern Sudan, the transition
from military rule to a governance
system, based on the rule of law,
is encumbered by capacity deficits
in legislative, judiciary and law-enforcement
institutions, as well as in traditional
authorities, in promoting the rule
of law and facilitating efficient,
equitable, and accessible justice
systems. The physical infrastructure
and operational equipment of most
institutions have been badly maintained
and in some cases are non-existent,
and there is a dearth of adequately
trained judges, lawyers, police and
prison staff. Traditional leaders,
responsible for addressing disputes
through the use of customary mechanisms,
lack knowledge on the newly established
transitional legal framework and how
customary law relates to the CPA and
other statutory laws.
These institutional and operational
gaps are compounded by a considerable
lack of legal knowledge, both substantive
and procedural, amongst the general
population. This is exacerbated by
limited civil society and community-based
organizations to address the training
and advocacy needs of the populace.
The formal mechanisms to address criminal
behaviour and human rights violations
are inadequate for addressing the
current post-conflict environment.
Objectives
The project's objectives are to create
rights awareness at community levels,
advocate for the promotion and respect
of the transitional legal framework,
and provide support to the Southern
Sudan Human Rights Commission to build
its staff capacity for protecting
people's rights and linking with community-based
rule of law activities
Snapshots of the project's major achievements
• The Access to Justice team
undertook CPA dissemination activities
this year through 14 Community Based
Organizations (CBOs) throughout Southern
Sudan - that resulted in the distribution
of over 1220 CPA booklets, CPA summary
booklets, INCS, ICSS, and T-Shirts
with messages on the promotion of
equality, tolerance and peace. Dissemination
was carried out through public forums,
creative arts activities, distributing
access to justice resources, and a
series of trainings and workshops.
• During the reporting period,
over 2709 participants (individuals,
traditional leaders, civil society
organizations, NGOs and CBOs, and
Rule of Law Institutions) were supported
through institutional capacity development
and technical support for government
institutions; capacity development
support for civic society and traditional
leaders on issues of rule of law,
particularly on promotion of access
to justice and human rights, was conducted
through workshops and trainings.
• In Jonglei State, over 178
participants (community and church
leaders and women’s groups)
were trained on the CPA and access
to justice awareness.
• Over 30 participants (traditional
chiefs, women’s groups, youth
associations and the Jonglei State
legislative assembly) were supported
through capacity building on conflict
resolution, peace building, restorative
justice and advocacy in intensive
training workshops.
• In Lakes State over 30 participants
(government officials, CBOs/NGOs representatives
and women’s groups) were trained
on various access to justice initiatives.
• In Northern Bahr el Ghazal,
approximately 593 participants (policy
makers and leaders from ministries,
law enforcement institutions and military
forces, representatives of the State,
members of the state legislative assembly
and prospective candidates in the
Police Service) were provided with
technical support through trainings
and advocacy sessions.
• In Unity State an estimated
1214 people (Police and Prisons Officers,
community members, youth groups, and
secondary school students) were trained
on various issues regarding rule of
law and access to justice through
dissemination of various rights acts
and a series of trainings and workshops.
• In Upper Nile State, jointly
with rule of law institution heads
and other technical assistance partners,
the Project Team in Malakal conducted
19 bi-weekly radio programmes on rule
of law, civic education and access
to justice, with a particular focus
on women’s rights, child rights,
returnee rights and the recently passed
Elections Act. Similar activities
were carried out in Bentiu and Yei.
• In Western Bahr el Ghazal,
UNDP conducted workshops on Human
Rights and Constitutional Rights for
35 secondary school teachers, 10%
of whom were women. The workshop was
organized in collaboration with Western
Bahr el Ghazal State’s Ministry
of Education.
• The Access to Justice project
established field presence in Warrap
State.
• UNDP worked closely with the
Ministry of Legal Affairs, state Ministries
of Local Government and Law Enforcement,
the Local Government board, and traditional
chiefs to hold two Traditional Authorities
workshops in Tonj (Warrap State) and
in Yei (Central Equatoria state).
The focus of the workshops was to
engage with government and traditional
authorities in dialogue on issues
of customary law practice and role
in formalizing the authority of chiefs
in promoting and adjudicating community
disputes and the promotion of Human
Rights in their judicial and administrative
functions.
• Three Justice and Confidence
Centres (JCCs) one each in Aweil,
Juba and Rumbek were established through
the International Rescue Committee
as a UNDP IP. The JCCs engage with
local communities in issues requiring
advocacy and mediation, and counseling/
advise.
• In all field offices (Aweil,
Bentiu, Bor, Malakal, Wau, Yei and
Rumbek), monthly Rule of Law fora
were held. Key issues discussed in
these fora include but not limited
to juvenile justice, conflict resolution,
the role of traditional authority
along side state rule of law institutions,
human rights, land and property issues
and gender. In Malakal, e.g. as a
recommendation from one rule of law
forum, a Lady Justice was appointed
by the state authorities to handles
Juvenile cases.
• In Juba, technical support
was provided to the Southern Sudan
Human Rights Commission (SSHRC) during
the planning and conduct of a Human
Rights Baseline Survey, production
of their 2007 Annual Report and Strategic
Plan.
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