mali
background
Context
Niger is a poor landlocked country in the Western Sahel with an overwhelmingly rural population. The authority of the state is challenged in many parts of the country: in some remote, rural areas, the state has a very limited presence. This leaves customary governance actors as the only existing rule of law and provider of public goods.
Many state institutions are underfunded and have limited capacity to fulfil their mandate without external assistance. Under pressure from long-term climate changes, Niger has a very small and dependent economy, an ever-growing population and some of the lowest human development indicators in the world. The resulting poverty undermines state capacity.
Justice
Nigeriens face everyday inequalities in the justice system, which is characterized by slow procedures and lack of resources; courts and tribunals are inaccessible, and mistrust and fear of the state affects people’s perception of its justice institutions.
Security
Security conditions have deteriorated in recent years in the area encompassing parts of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, where armed groups have established bases and carry out repeated attacks against the security forces and civilians. These conflicts are not homegrown, but imported from neighboring countries. Since 2015, Niger’s relative stability has deteriorated due to the rise of insurgent violence in this and other areas.
Insecurity and inadequate protection of civilians, injustice, and mistrust and lack of communication between civilians and security actors is widespread. Conflict is often rooted in poverty, corruption, poor governance, unemployment, frustration due to lack of social justice and poor distribution of resources. There is also increased inter-community tensions between the herders and farmers, primarily due to the scarcity of natural resources (water, arable land).
Activities
- State security institutions collaborate with communities in conflict zones, consult with the most excluded constituencies, and develop a mechanism of accountability better service
- Primary stakeholders’ capacities are strengthened, and they take ownership of local and regional security governance mechanisms
- Needs and aspirations of communities are addressed by security governance actors, which adopt measures to include most excluded constituencies in the decision-making bodies of the security apparatus
Interventions
- Create communication channels between key security actors and communities
- Strengthen capacities of communities and CSOs on lobbying & advocacy, monitoring, evaluation
- National and regional lobby & advocacy
- Technical support
- Training of security actors on human rights standards
- Supporting media for greater transparency and accountabilit
- Access to justice services for the most excluded constituencies improved
- Collaboration and coordination between statutory and customary justice actors strengthened
- Primary stakeholders equipped to advocate for the inclusion of most excluded constituencies
Interventions
- Promote and strengthen exchange between various justice actors
- Support local CSOs, community leaders and local authorities to promote application of formal justice for conflict resolution
- Technical support to judicial institutions on reforms and policies to improve accountability
- Training justice actors (customary, statutory and religious) to comply with human rights standards
- Support creation of community accountability systems
- Strengthen capacities of communities and CSOs on lobbying & advocacy, monitoring, evaluation
- Supporting media for greater transparency and accountability
- Create relationships with international organizations for international advocacy
- Facilitate access of rural communities to courts and legal services (transport, mobile courts)
- Primary stakeholders equipped to advocate for the inclusion of most excluded constituencies
- Local, regional and national actors implement ratified national, regional and international commitments on inclusion
- Most excluded constituencies, local and national authorities access consultative spaces to facilitate and monitor inclusion
- Primary stakeholders are sensitized about rights of most excluded constituencies, processes of inclusion and involved in advocacy and influencing actions
- Sharing lessons learned for sustainability of achievements
Interventions
- Strengthen capacity of youth and women’s associations
- Establish networks of young mediators to participate in political decision-making
- Support mentoring initiatives to bring young people and adults together
- Use media to engage in dialogue with young people
Regions
The Just Future Alliance and its local partners are active in 5 regions in Niger: Gao, Mopti, Tombouctou and the capital city region, Bamako.