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

Colombia

Impact by Regions,
Countries & Territories
Latin America and the Caribbean

In Colombia, UNDP contributed to the transformation and digitalization of justice services, focusing on municipalities most affected by the armed conflicts and violence. The need to develop e-justice initiatives became acute during and in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic when avoiding overcrowding in courts was vital to prevent massive spread of the virus. Digitalization efforts are also aimed at addressing deep-rooted inequalities in society and supporting the government in developing better internet connection across the country.

Gender equality

Leave No One Behind

Innovation

To implement its digital justice project in Colombia, UNDP prioritized the support to the Family Services Offices (FSOs or Comisarías de Familia in Spanish), the main justice providers in cases of domestic violence. According to the Colombian legislation, the FSOs’ mission is to prevent domestic and gender-based violence, guarantee, restore and remedy the rights of survivors. During 2022, SICOFA, the information system for FSOs was designed and its stabilization phase was launched by the Ministry of Law and Justice with UNDP support. Three training sessions for IT experts and the FSO staff were organized to test the system with a view to pilot it in 2023.

Among other services, SICOFA will allow online requests for appointments and phycological services. It will facilitate case assignments and referrals, enable risk assessments and data-driven decision-making. Tracing cases of violence reported and filed by women and members of the LGBTQI+ community was embedded in SICOFA’s design to prevent and address gender-based violence.

Consolidated records of all cases, including disaggregated data of perpetrators and survivors, will be available to identify and protect individuals at risk, improve protection and remedy policies and, ultimately, reduce justice gaps.

Partnerships

To ensure strong national engagement and ownership of the information management system, UNDP established a strong partnership with the Colombian Ministry of Law and Justice, a governing body of the FSOs. The Ministry played a fundamental role in the design of SICOFA. Colombian family commissioners, lawyers, justice providers and software engineers worked together with the UNDP technical and core team to develop the system. In addition, UNDP supported the Ministry in producing technical guidelines for the FSOs to optimize their institutional capacities in addressing domestic and gender-based violence.

SICOFA was designed as a key element of the country’s broader strategy to transform justice delivery and enable the provision of justice services using digital tools. To support this strategic shift, UNDP explored opportunities for knowledge sharing between Colombia, Brazil and Peru. Such regional exchange will allow the Colombian Government to learn from good practices in similar contexts. Additionally, UNDP facilitated a dialogue between the Ministry of Law and Justice, the National Planning Department and the Superior Council of the Judiciary to generate national partnerships for digital transformation.

The formation of the new Government in Colombia following the 2022 Presidential elections has caused delays in the strategy implementation. To ensure effective cooperation with and among new state officials and to resume the digitalization of justice, UNDP scheduled inter-institutional workshops and consultations with the National Planning Department and the Superior Council of the Judiciary. The work has continued in 2023, with the objective to introduce digital justice services in other municipalities.

Key
results
  • The SICOFA information system was designed for the Family Services Offices, the main justice providers in cases of domestic violence in Colombia. Scheduled to pilot in 2023, the SICOFA system will help consolidate case data, identify and protect individuals at risk, improve protection and remedy policies and, ultimately, reduce justice gaps.

  • UNDP supported the Ministry in producing technical guidelines for the FSOs to optimize their institutional capacities in addressing domestic and gender-based violence.

  • To support Colombia in using digital tools to deliver justice services, UNDP explored opportunities for knowledge sharing between Colombia, Brazil and Peru.

  1. The National Planning Department is the executive administrative agency of Colombia in charge of defining, recommending and promoting public and economic policies for the sustainable and inclusive development of the country.