Rule of Law and Human
Rights Global Programme
Impact
Thematic focus
 = Global Focal Point

Africa

Arab states

Asia-Pacific

Europe and Central Asia

Latin America and the Caribbean

Justice Futures CoLab

The Justice Futures CoLab was launched to promote new ways of thinking and approaching complex justice and rule of law challenges. The CoLab illustrates UNDP’s commitment and strategy to do more and do better (and differently). A more strategic, people-centred and rights-based approach is taken to ensure meaningful access to justice for all, starting with those most at risk of being left behind.

Human rights systems

UNDP continues to support strengthening national human rights systems (NHRIs). Independent, effective and pluralistic NHRIs are cornerstones of national systems to promote and protect human rights.

Anti-racism

In 2021, after racial justice protests and movements emerged in the United States and other parts of the world, the United Nations and its various funds, programmes and other entities also took up a renewed commitment to fight against racism and racial discrimination both within the organization and also through their approaches.

Business and human rights

UNDP has been supporting the implementation of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) since 2016. This support has involved programming across the three pillars of the protect, respect and remedy framework, engaging with states, business actors and civil society.

Community security

The global context has become ever more challenging with ongoing war, coups d‘état, attempted coups d‘état, turmoil and instability in several countries. In the midst of such widespread political tension and fragility, UNDP has stayed the course towards people-centred security by promoting solutions that strengthen state institutions in line with people’s needs.

Global Focal Point for the Rule of Law

The UN Global Focal Point for the Rule of Law (GFP) is a joint arrangement for delivery of the rule of law in fragile settings. Co-chaired by UNDP and the UN Department of Peace Operations (DPO), GFP reinforces One-UN approach at the global and national levels to address violent conflicts, protect human rights and restore justice and security for people affected by crisis and conflict.

Regional overview - Africa

Burkina Faso

Impact by Regions,
Countries & Territories
Africa

In Burkina Faso, UNDP provides support in the areas of justice, human rights, security, social cohesion and reconciliation via its CoSED programme (Cohésion Sociale, Sécurité, Etat de Droit). The programme was launched in 2019 with the financial and technical support of the Global Programme for Strengthening the Rule of Law, Human Rights, Justice and Security for Sustainable Peace and Development (the Global Programme). The support was critical in reinforcing UNDP’s cooperation with the national stakeholders and partnerships with other UN agencies, particularly through the UN Global Focal Point for the Rule of Law (GFP). The contribution had a catalytic effect enabling the sustainability of the programme and further resource mobilization. The CoSED activities in 2022 were mainly funded by the Governments of Germany and Sweden, and through the UNDP Funding Windows modality.

Partnerships

CoSED is a multi-partner programme that brings together government institutions and civil society organizations coordinated by the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights. National stakeholders work closely with UNDP, convening other UN agencies to improve the effectiveness and sustainability of initiatives and to maximize impact across the country as part of its integrator role For example, UNDP partnered with the UN Mine Action Service (UNMAS) to strengthen the capacities of 60 instructors from the security and defence forces to improve safety and security in six regions affected by improvised explosive devices (IED). UNDP also collaborated with the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR) to support the Ministry of Justice in elaborating the national report for the fourth cycle of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR).

Lessons learned

In 2022, the CoSED programme focused on contributing to the construction of a peaceful and inclusive society, promoting human security, justice, gender equality and human rights. A political crisis that unfolded in Burkina Faso in 2022, leading to a double military coup d’état, impeded the programme implementation. Against this backdrop and in consultation with partners, UNDP prioritized community-based activities in line with the overall strategy of the UN Country Team (UNCT). In addition, target localities had to be changed due to the growing insecurity in certain regions.

In line with the people-centred approach to justice and security, UNDP combined the top-down institutional support with the grassroot level support, in an integrated and impactful way.

To build trust between the local government and the communities and to prevent community tensions, UNDP organized capacity building sessions for 100 local officials (including 36 women) from the municipal police and the village development councils in five regions of Burkina Faso. The sessions focused on the impact of gold artisanal mining on social cohesion and the role of local authorities in building confidence between the communities and the artisanal miners.

Leave No One Behind

In six other regions, 10 intra- and inter-community conflicts related to land dispute and agriculture damage were prevented and 25 disputes resolved through the UNDP-supported National Observatory for preventing and managing community conflicts. The Observatory operates through its national, sub-national and local committees composed of state and security service officials, traditional and religious leaders and civil society organizations (CSOs). In addition, UNDP organized a regional workshop to encourage civic engagement and promote national ownership of reconciliation and social cohesion efforts, including strategies to prevent violent extremism. Over 900 representatives of the CSOs and local communities (including 291 women) participated in the workshop. Over 700,000 people were reached indirectly through media publications and awareness-raising activities.

Human rights

To facilitate access to justice for vulnerable individuals in remote communities, UNDP provided comprehensive support to courts and tribunals, including capacity building and equipment delivery, technical and logistical support. This initiative contributed to a 47 percent decrease in the backlog of judicial cases in 10 regions of the country.

Over 900 victims of crimes, including 202 women and 23 young people, obtained justice as a result of the court hearings held in Ouagadougou and Bobo-Dioulasso. In addition, UNDP provided technical support, equipment and logistics to the 11 criminal sessions organized in the Courts of Appeal of Bobo- Dioulasso and Ouagadougou, adjudicating 296 criminal cases, that involved 620 defendants, including 65 women. Seventy-five people were released.

UNDP supported the organization of mobile courts enabling over 300 people to receive their nationality certificates, criminal records, documents necessary to access state services.

Innovation

UNDP also supported digitization in the jurisdictions and the courts in Bobo-Dioulasso, Tenkodogo and Dedougou, the Directorate of the Penitentiary Administration in Ouagadougou and the prison of Bob-Dioulasso. The launch of the digital case management system, the digitization of court files, and the introduction of electronic nationality certificates and criminal records allowed improvements to the quality of services available to all parties to a judicial proceeding.

Security concerns in Burkina Faso create additional risks for human rights defenders (HRDs). UNDP supported the development of an alert and protection mechanism for HRDs. A network was established through which all the HRDs can be informed in a timely manner if one of them was threatened or abused. The mechanism allows the identification of an appropriate and rapid response to assist those attacked. A procedure manual was developed and 100 HRDs (including 30 women) were trained on the use of the manual and their responsibilities in the network; operationalization is to be fully completed in 2023.

Looking forward, UNDP will focus on the digitalization of judicial services with human rights considerations, further develop the network of mobile courts and support access to justice for IDPs promoting the Humanitarian-Development-Peace nexus. It will also improve institutional capacity of the National Human Rights Commission and support the Government in fulfilling its international human rights obligations.

farmland

Second Edition of the National Forum of Human Rights Defenders organized in Ouagadougou with the support of UNDP COSED programme, Burkina Faso

Photo: UNDP Burkina Faso
Key
results
  • UNDP’s support to courts and tribunals facilitated access to justice of vulnerable individuals in remote communities, contributing to the decrease of the backlog of judicial cases in ten regions by 47%. 339 criminal and correctional cases were tried and over 900 victims of crimes, including 202 women and 23 young people obtained justice in Ouagadougou and Bobo-Dioulasso. UNDP support to mobile courts enabled 300 persons to receive necessary documentation to access state servies.
  • UNDP-supported legal clinics increased legal awareness and legal services available in five localities. The legal clinics assisted 776 persons, including 170 women and 161 youths, and facilitated 391 sensitization sessions for 16,742 persons, including 5,251 women and 2,286 young individuals.
  • UNDP support contributed to promoting social cohesion and reconciliation. This was achieved by the delivery of a regional workshop reaching over 900 CSO and local community representatives, in addition to the support provided to the National Observatory for preventing and managing community conflicts, which in turn has prevented ten intra- and inter-community conflicts related to land dispute and agricultural damage and resolved 25 disputes in 2022.