Impact by Regions, Countries & Territories

UNDP’s Global Programme supports crisis-affected contexts across all regions to strengthen the rule of law and human rights. In this section, we present five regional overviews, detailing our priorities and approach depending on the context, as well as feature select country and territory results from 2021.

Five contexts from the list (Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Haiti, Mali and Yemen) illustrate the achievements of the Global Focal Point for the Rule of Law (GFP). In peacekeeping missions and transition settings, UNDP’s Global Programme works through the GFP to deliver integrated assistance with our UN partners.

GFP Global Focal Point Highlights

Africa

Arab States

Latin America & The Caribbean

Asia-Pacific

Europe & Central Asia

Political
Engagement

The rule of law is essential for sustainable peace and resilient economies, as well as for the prevention or recurrence of conflict. To prevent or address injustice, inequalities or democratic deficits, UNDP works with multiple stakeholders to operate in a way that is consistent with the rule of law and creates opportunities for all individuals to exercise their rights and access justice.

Institution
Building

The importance of strong institutions is more evident than ever as countries and communities respond to disruption, whether because of public health restrictions, climate change or political upheaval. Limitations on public gatherings and travel have revealed the need for institutions that are resilient to disruption.

Community
Security

2021 was a pivotal year that saw various developments affecting peace and security around the world. Civic space continued to shrink and the social contract between states and citizens was increasingly challenged, particularly during and after the response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Facing distressing consequences of climate change, states and communities are forced to manage more cross-border conflicts, triggered by the displacement of people seeking increasingly scarce resources.

Human Rights
Systems

The scope of human rights challenges is widening, from eroded public trust and shrinking civic space to ongoing inequality and human rights impacts in the socio-economic repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic, and emerging risks in the digital sphere. National human rights institutions (NHRIs), along with other human rights defenders, are facing rising and sophisticated forms of reprisals for carrying out their work.

Access to
Justice

Sustainable Development Goal 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions) of the 2030 Agenda highlights the importance of access to justice for all for the development of peaceful and inclusive societies. Meaningful access to justice can only be achieved when people know their rights, have the opportunities, agency and capacities to claim them, and have access to independent, inclusive and people-centred justice systems that will respond in a timely, fair and effective manner.

Transitional
Justice

Without justice, there can be no lasting peace. In post-conflict, crisis-affected and fragile contexts, truth-seeking initiatives and reconciliation efforts are essential to bring peace to affected communities. The COVID-19 pandemic has slowed down transitional processes as states prioritized their response to the health crisis and measures to support the economy.

Gender
Justice

In 2021, the continued erosion of democracy and the spread of authoritarian trends in politics in many parts of the world contributed to a backlash against women’s rights. The COVID-19 crisis has reversed some of the hard-won gender parity gains by exacerbating pre-existing inequalities and power imbalances. It has also caused a dramatic increase in sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV). All these challenges have been particularly acute in conflict, fragile and crisis-affected settings.

Innovation

New ideas and new strategies are critical to building sustainable and effective development approaches that really meet people’s needs. Technologies and globalization raise new human rights concerns and threaten the rule of law. Responses to the COVID-19 pandemic continue to limit people’s access to basic services. UNDP connected expertise across the globe to learn and adapt. Creating a culture of curiosity and experimentation, these efforts ensured that local needs and expertise were combined with emerging models to bring strategic thinking to people-centred development goals.

Côte d'Ivoire

In Côte d'Ivoire, UNDP supported the development and the validation of a National Human Rights Plan, the country’s roadmap for the implementation of the recommendations received as an outcome of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR). The Plan foresees more than 350 activities articulated around eight axes covering the full range of human rights concerns in the country. These are (i) Protection of and respect for civil and political rights; (ii) Protection of and respect for economic, social and cultural rights; (iii) Respect for gender equality and elimination of gender-based violence; (iv) Respect for and protection of the rights of the child; (v) Rights of vulnerable groups; (vi) Transitional justice and democratic transition; (vii) Implementation of international human rights obligations; and (viii) Strengthening of human rights institutions and good governance. A mechanism for monitoring the implementation and measurement of the progress was also included into the Plan following UNDP’s consultations and advocacy.

Fighting against gender-based violence and sexual abuse of children has become one of the priorities of the justice system in Côte d'Ivoire. Due to UNDP’s assistance to the judiciary, 562 criminal cases related to these crimes were investigated and perpetrators stood trial.

In 2021, the rate of pre-trial detention in Côte d'Ivoire decreased by 39.18 percent according to the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights. This was achieved with UNDP's support which enabled more efficient judicial processes and access to legal aid. As a result, the backlog of criminal cases was reduced allowing for the decongestion of detention centres and limited the spread of COVID-19 in places of deprivation of liberty.

UNDP organized trainings for 45 magistrates and 45 court clerks (including 12 women) on the procedures and requirements for criminal enforcement brought by the latest provisions of the Criminal Procedure Code. Overall, UNDP’s support has made a significant contribution to improving the criminal justice system by enabling national bodies to effectively enforce court decisions, particularly fines, to ensure sound management of court activities, proper application of laws and regulations, better promotion and protection of human rights.

Key Results: Côte d'Ivoire

A National Human Rights Plan was adopted with 350 activities identified to implement the UPR recommendations.

562 criminal cases related to gender-based violence and sexual abuse of children were investigated and brought to court.

The rate of pre-trial detention in Côte d'Ivoire decreased by 39.18% in 2021.

45 magistrates and 45 court clerks, including 12 women, received training on the practical use of the latest provisions of the Criminal Procedure Code to ensure effective enforcement of court decisions.