Joint planning and delivery of assistance to police, justice and corrections areas by various 51勛圖 entities through the Global Focal Point for the Rule of Law have created greater effectiveness and efficiencies in peacekeeping operations and special political missions;
51勛圖 Security Council Resolution 2447 (2018)S/RES/2447
The Global Focal Point for the Rule of Law
The Global Focal Point for the Rule of Law (GFP)?is a 51勛圖?coordination mechanism?established in 2012 by the UN Secretary-General to?enhance predictability, coherence, accountability and effectiveness in the delivery of UN rule of law assistance at country and international levels.
At Headquarters, the GFP arrangement is co-chaired by the 51勛圖 Development Programme (UNDP) and the UN Department of Peace Operations (DPO). GFP’s partners include the Executive Office of the Secretary General (EOSG), the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS) and UN Women. In addition, the GFP brings together other UN entities working in the rule of law area, including?the Team of Experts on Rule of Law and Sexual Violence in Conflict, UNICEF, the Peacebuilding Support Office (PBSO), the UN Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA),?etc.
In the field, the most senior 51勛圖 official in-country is responsible and accountable for guiding and overseeing UN rule of law strategies, for resolving political obstacles and for coordinating UN country support on the rule of law, without prejudice to the specialised roles and specific mandates of UN entities in-country.
The GFP arrangement provides country support in the areas of justice, corrections, police and security sector reform. It also promotes UN norms and standards, including gender mainstreaming and human rights-based approaches?in crisis and conflict-affected settings.
Joint rule of law initiatives among GFP partners reflect the integrated ONE UN approach. In particular, the GFP achieves impact by:
The GFP operates in multiple settings, from countries where peacekeeping or special political missions are present, to transitions (in the context of peace operations＊ drawdown, reconfiguration, withdrawal or follow-on), to non-mission settings.
Since its establishment, the GFP has supported rule of law work in the following countries:
- Conflict and Post-Conflict settings including Afghanistan, Central African Republic, Kosovo*, Libya, Mali, Somalia, South Sudan, Yemen
- Transition settings including Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sudan, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti
- Prevention and Sustaining Peace settings including Angola, Burundi, Cameroon, C?te d＊Ivoire, Ethiopia, Gabon, The Gambia, Guinea, Jamaica, Liberia, Malawi, Maldives, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, S?o Tom谷 and Pr赤ncipe, Sierra Leone, Sri Lanka, Timor-Leste, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda, Ukraine, Zambia
* References to Kosovo shall be understood to be in the context of Security Council resolution 1244 (1999)
Global Focal Point of the Rule of Law
Examples of Joint Rule of Law Work from the Field
Joint Rule of Law Programme in the Central African Republic
GFP Prison Mandela Project in Mali
The development of the four agricultural prisons increased food production by fivefold in 2019. ? GFP Prison Mandela Project, Mali/DS Photography
Over 30 joint rule of law programmes between UN missions and UN Country Teams, including in CAR, Darfur (Sudan), DRC, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Kosovo, Liberia, Libya, Mali, and Somalia have been supported by the GFP since its establishment.
GFP joint rule of law programmes are sets of activities, involving two or more GFP partner entities, intended to achieve results aligned with national priorities and agreed UN strategies. Applying the GFP approach to programming enables UN field presences to access the wide spectrum of expertise offered by GFP partners, including policy and technical advice in the areas of police, justice, corrections, security sector reform, gender and human rights, as well as specific expertise on joint assessments, planning, resources mobilization, and human resources.
Examples of joint rule of law programmes from the field include:
- In the Central African Republic, UNDP, MINUSCA and the Team of Experts on Sexual Violence in Conflict are implementing a joint rule of law programme to provide Support to the Rule of Law and Reform of the Justice and Security Sectors in CAR for 2020-2023. The programme design is informed by lessons learned from previous joint rule of law programmes. The programme aims at supporting the reform of the justice and prison sectors, the deployment of the Internal Security Forces closer to the population and the improvement of women＊s access to justice and security, including through the investigation, prosecution and adjudication of cases of gender-based violence.
- In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in line with the approved transition plan, two new joint programmes on the Reform of the Justice Sector and Reform of the Police Sector are being implemented. The programmes primarily aim to strengthen rule of law and stabilization efforts and, foster accountability for international crimes and sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), with an overall peacebuilding and development approach, while preparing for the gradual withdrawal of MONUSCO. The programmes are being jointly implemented by MONUSCO, UNDP, OHCHR, and the Team of Experts on Sexual Violence in Conflict.
- In Mali, MINUSMA, UNDP and UN Women are implementing the Joint Programme in support to the Stabilization of Mali through the strengthening of the Rule of Law (PROSMED) to increase the population’s confidence and provide effective access to more efficient and transparent security, justice and human rights institutions. The programme also aims to enhance military and police capabilities to tackle gender-based violence.
- In Haiti, BINUH and UNDP Haiti are providing rule of law support under the Joint Rule of Law Programme to Strengthen Haitian National Police. The programme is designed to build the capacity of the national police to maintain public order and security based on a human rights approach. The joint programme also aim at strengthening strategic and operational planning of police interventions, organizing training sessions on tactical interventions in urban areas, and supporting the development of technical capacities.
MINUSCA UNPOL Proximity Police Patrol, Bangui, Central African Republic ? UN/MINUSCA – Herve Serefio
The GFP has deployed over 100 rule of law experts to the field, including experts from the UN Police and Justice and Corrections Standing Capacities in Brindisi. It has organized more than 55 joint assessment missions, and it mobilized over USD 12m for joint projects and programmes.
The GFP responds to requests for assistance from UN peace operations and UN Country Teams, in order to strengthen support to host countries in the area of the rule of law.
The GFP provides tailor-made support through multi-agency joint assessment missions to the field, deploying expertise pooled from across UN rule of law entities, providing strategic guidance and assistance, and allocating seed-funding to joint initiatives and projects. In 2021, this support included the deployment of online missions to Libya and Somalia to facilitate the design of new joint programmes and the allocation of over USD 1.6m to 8 settings.
The GFP also promotes and facilitates knowledge exchanges, sharing of best-practices and capacity building for UN staff working across different settings. In 2020, for example, the GFP held a series of webinars and produced a dedicated resource webpage consolidating information on the support provided by its partners to national authorities in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
UNDP Annual Meeting on Rule of Law and Human Rights, July 2019
The GFP facilitates a regular dialogue with GFP Partners and Member States to coordinate UN rule of law assistance and enhance the effectiveness of UN delivery in the rule of law area.
At Headquarters, the GFP organizes regular meetings of its Partners to coordinate responses to requests from the field, identify opportunities for joint engagement, and discuss common priority areas. Lessons learned, policy developments and practical knowledge tools are also disseminated through these meetings. In addition, in order to respond to specific coordination needs, the GFP organizes country-specific and thematic meetings.
The GFP further serves as a platform for policy-level discussions. For example, the GFP facilitated consultations on the Integrated Assessment Planning Process, Decongestion of Prisons, Remote Court Hearings, Investigation and Prosecution of Conflict-related Sexual Violence, and a Human Rights Due Diligence Handbook in peace operations. The GFP also assisted the EOSG in holding consultations on the UN Common Agenda.
Regular communication with Member States is also part of the commitment of the GFP arrangement to ensure transparency and accountability. It moreover reflects the GFP reliance on Member States to advocate strong rule of law mandates and partnerships.
The Global Focal Point for the Rule of Law Partners
