Rule of Law & Justice Reform

Overview

UN Strategic Objective One: Assist the political transition, progress towards democratic governance, in the protection and promotion of human rights, rule of law and sustainable peace.

UN Strategic Objective Three: Assist peacebuilding, civilian protection, and rule of law, in particular in Darfur, Blue Nile and South Kordofan.

Justice and rule of law are critical for peace, stabilization, security and conflict mitigation and prevention. As such durable system of laws, institutions, norms and community commitments that deliver accountability, just laws, good governance and access to justice are integral to the future stability of Sudan and long-term prosperity.
In line with key components of the constitutional arrangements and the Juba Peace Agreement, UNDP promotes rule of law, security and human rights at the community, subnational and national level through:

Approaches that constructively engage legal pluralism and multiple sources of legitimate dispute resolution and problem solving in communities – leveraging existing levels of trust in formal and informal justice mechanisms.
Strategic interventions that are informed with the state of statelessness and lack of judicial protection, manifested in challenges citizens face in ensuring their basic rights and fulfilling their needs.
Pursuing pragmatic area-based programming that is country-oriented and people-centered, targeting communities in an integrated, inclusive, participatory, and adaptable manner.
At the community – working alongside other agencies, funds and programmes and leveraging on community partnerships – this approach includes: supporting community-based and alternative dispute resolution mechanisms; promoting long-term legal empowerment and judicial accountability; countering violent extremism through research-informed programming that respects freedoms, civil liberties, and human rights; improving community access to security (protection of civilians) and justice through community policing and legal aid; investing in building the capacity of local civil society on a variety of axes as well as working with civil society to increase access to justice.

Aligned with efforts at the national level, UNDP contributes to reestablishing mechanisms of equitable and accessible justice and a culture of rule of law through strengthening core capacities of national jurisdictions, promoting citizen participation and advocacy for legal reform and strengthening legal institutions and frameworks.

UNDP’s support therefore aims to strengthen rule of law, with a specific emphasis on security and access to justice. Efforts are underway to support communities and civil society striving to build strong, accountable legitimate institutions, and resilient societies.

UNDP supports the democratic transition in Sudan through technically assisting the electoral and constitution-making processes, legal reform project and transitional justice mechanism, as part of achieving the transitional agenda. While presently this process is on hold in view of the political situation in the country, it will resume as soon as a national agreement is reached and transition to civilian rule continues.

Our solutions

Supporting long term change in blending ‘top-down’ judicial strengthening and accountability efforts with ‘bottom-up’ legal empowerment and civil society capacity building approaches.
Empowering civil society actors to address grievances through legal recourse and reform.
Using an areas-based programming approach to supporting community-based and alternative dispute resolution mechanism to foster public trust.
Supporting community approaches for protection of civilians i.e community policing methods, unarmed protection of civilians, strengthening capacities of the police and community protections committees.
Together with UNITAMS, facilitating the equal and meaningful participation of women and youth, and promoting democratization and civic engagement.
Promoting legal aid and access to justice, including provision of support for Justice and Confidence Centres, paralegal services, prison, and policing facilities as well as need driven training for police and judicial corrections staff.

Achievements in 2021 include:

124,756 people provided with access to justice and legal services in Darfur, including via:
- 9 Justice and Confidence Centers (JCCs) constructed and equipped in IDP camps to support dispute resolutiona
- 5 community policing centres, 4 Human Rights Resource Centres, and 3 district and rural courts refurbished or constructed
- 2 prosecution offices, and 1 Police Forensic Science Laboratory, supported with equipment and services
- 4 prisons in Darfur received upgraded dormitories, as well as child-friendly spaces and visiting bays to enhance living conditions of children with primary caregivers, and visitation rights
168 police officers trained on community policing practices and human rights, and 451 prison officers trained on security and best practices in prison operations.
250 paralegals trained on provision of legal services.
60 members of civil society trained on trial monitoring, and 398 paralegals trained on provision of legal aid services in IDP camps and areas of return.
Four statute laws and legal frameworks established by the Ministry of Justice with UNDP technical assistance, including bills for an Anti-Corruption Commission, the Transitional Justice Commission Act, the Peace Commission Act, and the National Human Rights Commission.
Four statute laws and legal frameworks established by the Ministry of Justice with UNDP technical assistance, including bills for an Anti-Corruption Commission, the Transitional Justice Commission Act, the Peace Commission Act, and the National Human Rights Commission.
2 judicial institutions (Ministry of Justice and Judiciary of Sudan) supported on institutional reform.
Supported the National Conference for the Enhancement and Promotion of the Judiciary.