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

Afghanistan

Impact by Regions,
Countries & Territories
Asia-Pacific

In Afghanistan, UNDP focused on providing legal services and improving legal awareness, especially in remote areas and via informal justice mechanisms, and in cooperation with the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), civil society organizations (CSOs) and private defence lawyers. Capacitating women and engaging them as service providers and beneficiaries remained one of UNDP’s priorities in the country despite the extremely challenging environment.

Since the collapse of the Government and the Taliban takeover in August 2021, access to justice and legal aid services for the Afghan people, especially women, has become significantly more difficult. The problem is compounded by the deepening humanitarian and socioeconomic crises, as well as gaps in policy and regulatory frameworks and the low capacity of justice actors.

The achievements of over 20 past years to strengthen the justice system were negatively impacted. The drafted laws were no longer applicable, the organizational structure and capacity building system changed and, most importantly, female justice practitioners were prohibited from their work. Furthermore, male and female judges and prosecutors were no longer in the system as they have been replaced by new judges and prosecutors appointed by the de facto authorities, who were not necessarily qualified enough to hold those positions. In addition, the Afghanistan Independent Bar Association (AIBA) was demolished, and prosecutors’ authorities were restricted, thus rendering a huge negative impact on the justice system

In response to the above challenges, as well as given an increased demand for legal counselling support by the local communities, UNDP has shifted its focus towards implementing activities at the grassroots level in partnership with CSOs. Specifically, together with UNAMA, UNDP launched the Joint Legal Aid Services initiative in Herat and Bamiyan provinces in September 2022. In collaboration with three CSOs and 45 private defence lawyers (including 15 women), UNDP launched activities on the provision of legal aid and legal awareness at the community level.

farmland

Women defense lawyers are providing a legal consultation for Afghan women

Photo: UNDP Afghanistan

As a result, legal aid services were provided to 764 vulnerable individuals (including 220 women). With UNDP’s support, CSOs and private defence lawyers organized awareness programmes on women's rights and conducted consultation sessions on related legal and Sharia Law issues. A total of 365 community leaders, traditional elders and religious scholars (including 86 women) increased their legal awareness in the southern region and Bamiyan Province. Moreover, consultative sessions were held with over 250 participants including independent religious scholars, academics, female students and Ulama councils in the southern region, and positive traditional justice practices were identified. Separate workshops were held for male and female participants. Hundreds of women participated in the sessions.

This pilot initiative highlighted the importance of the role of defence lawyers, including women defence lawyers, in the justice system. Through CSOs, UNDP supported female defence lawyers, enabling them to provide legal aid services (including counseling, consultation, documentation and representation) in Bamiyan, Herat and the southern region during 2022. Prior to launching the project, UNDP conducted a needs assessment to evaluate the state of legal aid and access to justice services in Bamiyan and Herat provinces.

Building on the lessons learned and the results of the pilot initiative, UNDP has developed a two-year project on women's access to justice which is expected to be launched in 2023.

In 2022, with the support of the UNDP Funding Windows, UNDP contributed to improving human security and fostering peace and development in local communities by shifting the focus towards building a narrative for peace, promoting social cohesion, resolving conflicts, securing the rights of women and reducing gender-based violence in Kabul, Herat and Balkh provinces. Through a series of training of trainers on conflict resolution, reconciliation and the formation of local conflict resolution committees in two districts of Herat province, 390 participants (including 176 women) showed an 83 percent increase in knowledge of the subject.

In Balkh province, a total of 5,162 community members (including 1,310 women) increased awareness on peace and dispute resolution through events organized by local support groups created by UNDP. These groups included Traditional Dispute Resolution (TDR) Committees, Local Youth Peace Driver Groups, Peace Talker Groups and Moving Enablers for Needers groups that supported men and women who were previously systematically ignored and brought them to justice through women’s TDR.

The establishment and operation of these local structures played an important role in the absence of strong and transparent judicial and law enforcement institutions. In addition, women and individuals from other vulnerable groups find it easier to approach the informal justice structures for resolving their domestic issues. There is still a lot of stigma around women approaching formal institutions. A number of success stories were reported where women and other minority groups were able to resolve their conflicts through the committees and platforms created by UNDP.

Under the flagship Afghanistan Area-Based Programme (ABADEI), UNDP provided legal counselling for over 1,226 people (including 637 women), with a focus on civil documentation, which is highly in demand in Afghanistan, especially in remote rural areas. In particular, ABADEI provided consultations on how to obtain birth certificates, marriage certificates, national IDs and death certificates. It also helped with inquiries about family and property law and provided legal awareness to more than 16,000 people (more than 50 percent were women) on civil and family law issues. Peer-to-peer justice networks were established and referred cases on family law (marriage certificate, child custody, dowry), inheritance and property law to the legal counselors.

Key
results
  • Almost 800 vulnerable and marginalized individuals (including 220 women) benefitted from legal aid services provided at provincial and district levels through UNDP’s collaboration with three CSOs and 45 defence lawyers (including 15 female lawyers) in the Herat, Bamiyan and southern regions.
  • UNDP support increased awareness on peace and dispute resolution. The establishment and operation of local informal justice structures played an important role in the absence of strong and transparent judicial and law enforcement institutions. Women and individuals from other vulnerable groups find it easier to approach the informal justice structures for resolving their domestic issues.
  • UNDP provided legal counselling for 1,226 people (including 637 women), with a focus on civil documentation. 16,042 people (including 8,401 women) improved their legal awareness on civil and family law issues. Over 365 community leaders, traditional elders and religious scholars (including 86 women) increased their legal awareness in the southern region and Bamiyan province.