Under the UN Global Focal Point for the Rule of Law (GFP) framework, UNDP implemented its rule of law and conflict prevention programme PROSMED, in partnership with UN Women and MINUSMA. Having received additional funds, PROSMED extended its activities to all 22 initially planned districts, including six districts in the South, which are often infiltrated by terrorist armed groups.
UNDP and UN Women enhanced women's capacities in conflict management and prevention. Almost 2,800 formal and informal actors (including 540 women) were trained on women's rights in relation to agricultural land management, peace and social cohesion.
Over 320 communal and village land commissions were revitalized, and nine municipalities agreed to follow the Social, Economic and Cultural Development Plan. As a result, almost 239 local conflicts were prevented or managed. Women and youth comprised at least 30 percent of the members of the land commissions.
A perception survey was conducted to assess the impact of the programme. Interventions that promoted social cohesion, fought against corruption and prevented violent extremism proved to be the most impactful. For example, the number of people who consider the police, gendarmerie and justice to be corrupt decreased by 30 percent.
Since 2012, Mali has been undergoing a multidimensional crisis that has negatively impacted all spheres of socio-political life, including security and access to basic social services. The persistence of this crisis has undermined both the social contract and social cohesion.
In 2023, the political context was dominated by the constitutional referendum and the adoption of a new constitution promulgated by the transitional President. Its adoption will impact the Malian judicial system with the reshaping of the Supreme Court and the recognition of alternative and traditional modes of dispute resolution mechanisms. Two new laws should be adopted on the role of traditional authorities in justice delivery. In addition, the Council of Ministers adopted the new Penal Code and the Code of Criminal Procedure, which were sent for deliberation to the National Transition Council (CNT) among several other new laws.
Other significant developments included the decision of the UN Security Council to end the mandate of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) in June 2023, the announcement of the postponement of the presidential elections initially planned for February 2024, the capture of the town of Kidal in the North and the denunciation of the 2015 Algiers Peace Agreement.
Against this backdrop, UNDP continued to implement its rule of law and conflict prevention programme, the Programme of support for the stabilization of Mali by strengthening the rule of law or PROSMED. The programme is implemented within the framework of the UN Global Focal Point for the Rule of Law (GFP), in partnership with UN Women and MINUSMA (until June 2023) and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) (since June 2023). Having received additional funds, PROSMED extended its activities to all 22 initially targeted districts, including six districts in the South, which are often infiltrated by terrorist armed groups. Amidst the highly volatile political and security contexts, the project relied upon a flexible and adaptive approach leveraging contextual analysis. For example, activities were downscaled in the regions of Douentza, Gao and Ménaka when the security situation deteriorated.
Despite this challenging environment, UNDP achieved encouraging results in 2023. A perception survey was conducted to assess the impact of the programme comparing the results with data collected in 2020. Interventions that promoted social cohesion, fought against corruption and prevented violent extremism proved to be the most impactful. For example, the number of people who consider the police, gendarmerie and justice to be corrupt decreased by 30 percent while people’s awareness of the activities of the land commission increased by 13 percent. In addition, five percent more people trust state actions in promoting social cohesion and preventing violent extremism. The data from this survey will be used to inform 2024 planning, along with the recommendations arising from the mid-term evaluation of PROSMED, which found the programme objectives and adaptability particularly relevant to the needs of beneficiaries in the specific context of Mali.
In order to support the efforts of the Malian government to improve access to justice, particularly for vulnerable people, PROSMED initiated a pilot legal assistance project in Mopti, with the Mali Bar Association. Five local lawyers were identified to benefit from the support and monitoring of a team of lawyers from the Bar Association. Vulnerable individuals in pre-trial detention in Mopti prison (women, minors and persons with disabilities) and survivors of gender-based violence benefited from legal assistance. Based on the vulnerability criteria, identified jointly by PROSMED and the Bar Association, 94 detention cases and nine cases related to gender-based violence were selected in which legal assistance and advocacy would be provided. In all the cases, legal defenders were appointed. In 43 cases, progress has been achieved: 60 percent of cases were brought to trial, with 19 suspended sentences and four acquittals. In addition, three of the 42 defendants were granted provisional release. UNDP cooperates with the One-Stop Centre of the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) in Mopti, initiated under the European Union-funded joint UN programme, the Spotlight initiative, where gender-based violence survivors can receive legal assistance.
The project, in partnership with UN Women, carried out activities to promote gender equality and enhance women’s capacities in conflict management and prevention. Almost 2,800 formal and informal actors (including 540 women) were trained specifically on women's rights in relation to agricultural land management, peace and social cohesion.
In nine communities, 325 land commissions or commissions foncières in French (CoFos) were supported, aiding their integration into the Social, Economic and Cultural Development Plan to improve people’s resilience to conflict. Training was provided to almost 2,800 formal and informal actors involved in conflict management (including 540 women and 818 young people). In 2023, the land commissions resolved 239 local conflicts. Women and youth comprised at least 30 percent of the members of land commissions.
Eleven peace infrastructures were established in Mopti, Nara, Nioro, Ségou and San regions to contribute to peace and social cohesion while ensuring that local communities have agency and lead in conflict prevention. In the village of Salaka, for example, a borehole was constructed to defuse community conflicts related to access to water.
To enable the deployment of new personnel to improve the delivery of security and justice services, 26 security and justice infrastructures (police stations, gendarmerie brigades, local courts and correctional facilities) were built and/or rehabilitated in the intervention areas.
PROSMED also provided technical and logistical support to the regional branches of the National Human Rights Commission in Gao, Mopti, Ségou, Sikasso and Kayes, enabling detention monitoring visits. It contributed to capacity building for 70 civil society organizations (CSOs) and 138 experts of the National Human Rights Commission on human rights monitoring and reporting.
With respect to the fight against corruption, PROSMED supported the Ministry of State Refoundation in developing a national strategy for the prevention of and fight against corruption, which was adopted and validated in the Council of Ministers in September 2023.
Continued support was made to the civil society through the KENEKANKO network for monitoring human rights violations and cases of corruption. This network is a coalition of CSOs with verification teams deployed in targeted districts to monitor and handle cases of human rights violations and corruption. To date, the network has received over 1,400 complaints, having processed over half of them.
Finally, PROSMED strengthened people resilience to the risks of radicalization. In six districts of the Center-South, UNDP facilitated training on the prevention of violent extremism for 150 religious leaders (including 11 women), medersa teachers and Christian school teachers, as well as over 2,250 students (including 978 young women) from secondary schools and medersas. Over 60 community initiatives were implemented to prevent and counter violent extremism.
Lessons learned and good practices
The framework of the UN Global Focal Point for the Rule of Law (GFP) has enabled integrated interventions and ensured complementarity of the interventions in line with the One-UN approach. Interagency cooperation under the GFP framework has strengthened resource mobilization and maximized the impact in targeted areas.
All project activities were carried out with a view of ensuring sustainability. For instance, training for law enforcement and the judiciary was conducted in collaboration with the government partners. PROSMED developed a regular monitoring and follow-up system to ensure the effectiveness and relevance of its field interventions. This system involved monitoring by PROSMED community volunteers; online monitoring; quarterly visits; monitoring carried out in partnership with civil society, the National Human Rights Commission and perception surveys.
Looking forward
In accordance with the perception survey results, 2024 programming will be adapted to meet the needs of the beneficiaries and partners.
UNDP and UN Women’s study will be published on the role of women as actors in the fight against violent extremism – to strengthen gender sensitivity in combating violent extremism and terrorism.