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Great Lakes Justice Initiative
FY 2001 Program Description and Activity Data Sheets
>> Regional Overview >> Great Lakes Justice Initiative Overview FY 2001 Program
GLJI resources are being used in Rwanda, the DRC and Burundi. If the progress continues in the Burundi peace negotiations, funding could be increased for justice activities. At this time, GLJI resources in Burundi target NGOs and grassroots groups working to improve human rights and to build a civil society capacity to promote rule of law. In Rwanda, efforts will be focussed on: 1) promoting the rule of law through support for the court system, training, equipment, public awareness of the genocide laws as they evolve, traditional legal processes, efforts to encourage ethnic diversity among lawyers and judges, and aid to the new National Human Rights commission; 2) reconciliation through social and economic activities at the local level which promote cooperation and address the deprivation which lies at the heart of the cycle of impunity in the Great Lakes region; 3) encouraging citizen participation through supporting local elections; and 4) support for local elections in Rwanda. GLJI funds in the DRC will: 1) strengthen civil society institutions which promote human rights and improved rule of law systems; 2) create public awareness and demand for accountability in governance and improved human rights practices through civil education and the training of legal and media professionals; and 3) promote the process of the Congolese National Dialogue by supporting civil society participation.
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ACTIVITY DATA SHEET
PROGRAM: Africa Regional
TITLE AND NUMBER: Great Lakes Justice Initiative (GLJI), 698-XXX
PLANNED FY 2000 OBLIGATION AND ACCOUNT: $10,000,000 (ESF)
PROPOSED FY 2001 OBLIGATION AND ACCOUNT: $10,000,000 (ESF)
STATUS: Continuing
INITIAL OBLIGATION: FY 1999 ESTIMATED COMPLETION DATE: FY 2002Summary: The purpose of the GLJI is to strengthen indigenous mechanisms for justice and reconciliation in the Great Lakes region. The beneficiaries will be the civilian populations of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, and Burundi who have been caught in a seemingly never-ending cycle of ethnic violence, which reached genocidal dimensions in Rwanda in 1994 and still remains a real threat throughout the region.
Key Results: USAID has provided support to the justice sector in Rwanda since 1995. USAID has made significant progress in training legal professionals, strengthening the Rwanda Ministry of Justice (MOJ), training the police, and facilitating efforts to inform the public on the on-going trials in Arusha, Tanzania of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda. With technical support from the U.S. Department of Justice, USAID is working with the Rwandan MOJ to speed up the administration of justice for the 125,000 detainees accused of genocide. Specific measures include group trials, plea-bargaining, use of traditional community-based justice, and public information activities. GLJI resources in the DRC have strengthened civil society institutions that focus on improved human rights protection and promoted civil society and government dialogue and cooperation at the community level. The GLJI is supporting active civil society participation and leadership in the Congolese National Dialogue process. Activities in the justice and human rights sectors were continued in Burundi in FY1999 through U.S. non-governmental organizations.
Performance and Prospects: The GLJI will focus on civilian judicial systems, military justice and international mechanisms of support as part of a broad, multi-agency effort. USAID will focus on the civilian and international elements of the Initiative, in coordination with other U.S. Government agencies. For civilian justice, the GLJI will provide bilateral support for the indigenous administration of justice and rule of law, including such institutions as police, courts, prisons, and truth commissions. The emphasis will be on strengthening local and national capacity. Regionally, the GLJI will provide support for independent human rights commissions, alternative dispute resolution mechanisms, indigenous human rights organizations, reconciliation initiatives and formal and informal education efforts. For international judicial systems, the GLJI will include support for speedier trials and a witness protection program for the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, enhanced cooperation and consultation between the UN and African institutions on human rights issues, appropriate modalities for the United Nations High Commission on Refugees protection mandate, and other appropriate mechanisms of accountability for violations of humanitarian law.
Possible Adjustments to Plans: USAID does not envision any major adjustments to the program at this time. However, if there is progress towards peace in Burundi, it is anticipated that Burundi will require a larger share of the funds.
Other Donor Programs: The United States is spearheading this effort and promoting involvement of other bilateral and multilateral donors. The United States is also seeking support of public-private partnerships, professional associations, foundations, and non-government organizations among others to improve collaboration between civil society and government. IBM and a specialized software company have indicated a willingness to make available, at no cost to the Government of Rwanda, computer equipment and related software to improve the tracking of the genocide detainees through the court system.
Principal Contractors, Grantees or Agencies: U.S. Department of Justice, International Human Rights Law Group/International Foundation for Election Systems, Chemonics, Africare, and SEARCH.
Selected Performance Measures: Indicators will be determined on an activity by activity basis.
U.S. Finance Table (Microsoft Excel file)
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Last Updated on: December 29, 2000 |
