UNJHRO, programme support
Contribution ID : SE-0-SE-6-14998This website displays open data about Swedish aid, which shows when, to whom and for what purpose Swedish aid is paid out, as well as what results it has produced. This page contains information about one of the contributions financed with Swedish aid.
UNJHRO (JHRO) monitors the human rights situation in the DRC and Sweden has been supporting their office since 2016 with two different contributions. According to the embassy, and the international community at large in DRC, the JHRO is the strongest human rights actor in DRC and therefor the embassy wants to support the office. The JHRO is a joint office betw...
Read the full descriptionMore about the contribution
UNJHRO (JHRO) monitors the human rights situation in the DRC and Sweden has been supporting their office since 2016 with two different contributions. According to the embassy, and the international community at large in DRC, the JHRO is the strongest human rights actor in DRC and therefor the embassy wants to support the office. The JHRO is a joint office between the OHCHR and the human rights section of the Monusco mission in DRC. In addition JHRO is working closely with UNDP in providing training in human rights to the Army and the Police and they are also closely connected in the take-over in the withdrawal of MONUSCO. Monusco has initiated its drawdown in view of eventually leaving the country. The JHRO branches will stay in many locations and will be one of the last offices to leave. I The grant will be a general support for the country programme however there will be some soft earmarking towards areas that Sweden wants to see prioritised. The intervention will focus on the following objectives: 1. Strengthening rule of law and accountability for human rights violations 2. Enhancing and Protecting Civic Space and People’s Participation 3. Enhancing equality and countering discrimination - address leaving no one behind and root causes of inequality 4. Integrating human rights in sustainable development 5. Early warning, prevention and protection of HR in situations of conflict 6. Increasing implementation of the international human rights mechanisms
All activities related to the contribution are shown here. Click on an individual activity to see in-depth information.
Total aid 0 USD distributed on 0 activities
A list of all paid transactions for a specific contribution is presented here. Each payment can be traced to a specific activity. Negative amounts indicate that there has been a refund.
0 transactions
No transactions available for this contribution
0 contribution documents
Link to download |
---|
No contribution documents available for this contribution
Result
During 2022, UNHJRO continued to implement its core human rights functions despite a fragile security environment characterized by the resurgence of M23 hostilities, increased attacks on civilians by armed groups and anti-MONUSCO sentiment. Most of the planned activities were completed during the reporting period. In 2022, UNJHRO documented 5,969 human rights violations and abuses throughout Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), an average of 497 violations and abuses per month, which represents a 15% decrease from the previous year and confirms the downward trend observed between 2020 and 2021. This decrease reflects a decline in the number of violations and abuses in the five provinces affected by armed conflict, namely North Kivu, South Kivu, Ituri, Tanganyika, and Maniema, with 5,091 violations and abuses in 2022, compared to 5,946 in 2021 in the five provinces. However, the overall security and protection situation deteriorated in 2022 due to increased attacks by the M23 and confrontations with government forces in Rutshuru territory, North Kivu Province, continued attacks by CODECO factions and the ADF in Ituri Province, the outbreak of intercommunal violence in Kwamouth, Mai-Ndombe province, as well as persistent anti-MONUSCO sentiment, which culminated in violent attacks against the Mission personnel and facilities in July 2022. In line with its mandate, UNJHRO continued to monitor the human rights situation, including through active observation, investigation, fact-finding, assessment, and protection missions. In response to security and logistical constraints, UNJHRO has adapted its monitoring methods by strengthening its remote information gathering and verification mechanisms. This enabled the UNJHRO to collect reliable information and conduct analysis to inform decision-making and to support national and local initiatives to improve the human rights situation. UNJHRO has contributed to strengthening the rule of law and accountability for human rights violations. With the Offices support, military judicial authorities prosecuted 368 individuals and convicted 314, including 71 elements of the FARDC, 20 of the PNC, 143 members of armed groups and 80 civilians. UNJHRO provided technical and logistical support to 14 joint investigation missions with judicial authorities on serious human rights violations and international humanitarian law. Capacity building activities have improved the skills of national and provincial magistrates and other judicial officials, thereby improving the compliance of the DRCs justice system with the Constitution and applicable international human rights law. UNJHRO support to the Human Rights standing Committee of the National Assembly resulted in the adoption of the Law on the Protection of Human Rights Defenders. Training and sensitization activities were also held for State officials and civil society organizations (CSOs) on fighting impunity, and the promotion, and implementation of transitional justice initiatives. During the period under review, UNJHRO recorded a decline in human rights violations and abuses related to restrictions on the civic and democratic space in the DRC. Although this 25% decrease compared to the previous year might suggest a greater opening of democratic space, the situation of journalists and human rights defenders, particularly in provinces affected by armed conflict, remains a concern. In fact, most of the human rights violations related to the civic space (245 violations and abuses in 2022) and threats against individuals because of their activities in relation to democratic space (concerning 339 human rights defenders and 103 journalists) were committed in areas of armed conflict. Between January and December 2022, UNJHRO documented 110 human rights violations attributed to the Agence Nationale de Renseignements (ANR), 41 of which were related to civic space. ANR agents were also responsible for 13 incidents of violations of fundamental freedoms, mostly in Tanganyika, North Kivu, and Haut Katanga provinces. The UNJHRO also trained Government staff on the drafting of human rights sectoral policy, and the implementation of the UPR recommendations. Furthermore, the Office organized awareness raising sessions on the fight against torture. It also supported the Members of the Human Rights Committee of the National Assembly in developing a working action plan to fulfil its mandate, in addition to the analysis of the draft law on the protection of the rights of human rights defenders that was tabled before the Assembly. CSOs equally received training on economic, social, and cultural rights, hate speech, victim and witness protection, drafting and submitting shadow reports to human rights protection mechanisms, the fight against GBV, and access to justice. The Office also involved them in the review of draft laws against tribalism, racism, xenophobia, and on abolition of death penalty in the DRC. The major challenges faced by UNJHRO included insecurity in the East which has resulted in the restriction of movements, thereby negatively impacting its ability to implement certain activities while demands for monitoring, investigation, and protection of most vulnerable groups, including HRDs and victims of human rights violations, have increased.
The UNJHRO has identified a number of priorities of action as reflected in its work programme in six pillars (areas of action). These pillars are: The JHRO country programme includes six focus areas: 1. Strengthening rule of law and accountability for human rights violations JHRO is supporting Congolese authorities in the fight against impunity through technical, logistical and financial support to the military and civilian justice systems. The purpose is to ensure that perpetrators of serious human rights violations and violations of international humanitarian law are brought to justice. As part of this effort actions are also taken to support transitional justice initiatives aimed at consolidating peace and justice among communities. JHRO is also engaged in the prevention and response to conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) through the Women Protection Advisors (WPAs) deployed within the JHRO and through it's support to the Senior Women Protection Advisor (SWPA). The latter undertakes high level advocacy to support the FARDC and PNCs implementation of Actions Plans to prevent violations, ensure accountability for perpetrators and assistance to affected survivors. 2. Enhancing and Protecting Civic Space and Peoples Participation JHRO is supporting capacity building and development of policies and programmes towards the promotion and protection of human rights in the DRC. One part of this support targets national human rights institutions while the other aim at strengthening networks of human rights defenders and CSOs involved in defending various human rights. Joint protection mechanisms are put in place through coordination with protection networks, UN agencies, international NGOs and local partners across the DRC. 3. Enhancing equality and countering discrimination - address leaving no one behind and root causes of inequality JHRO is also enhancing advocacy with national institutions for inclusion of vulnerable groups, minorities including indigenous people and people with special needs. In addition JHRO is collaborating with the Government on legislation related to the rights of persons with disabilities (PwD) and is supporting advocacy of minority groups such as the need of indigenous people are taken into account in the land reform. 4. Integrating human rights in sustainable development JHRO is paying particular attention on reinforcing understanding, protection and respect of human rights principles and standards, including economic, social and cultural rights (ESCRs) and business and HR principles. Within these efforts special attention is given to marginalized groups and women. JHRO also has a role in the integration of the human rights norms, recommendations and SDGs with the UNSDCF as well as in the UNCT coordinated responses, including through the Humanitarian Advisory Group and the Triple Nexus. 5. Early warning, prevention and protection of HR in situations of conflict In addition to strengthening the judiciary and ending impunity JHRO also have a mandate to protect civilians and improve their safety, in coordination with MONUSCO civilian and uniformed components, UN and civil society partners. An important part of this work is to continuously monitor the human rights situation and ensure early warning systems that can inform response measures. JHRO also supported the establishment of FARDC and PNC follow-up committees for human rights violations within their organisations. In addition OHCHR manages a robust database with profiles of personnel from defense and security services which is used help in the screening process before new staff are employed by FARDC. Furthermore JHRO provides training and sensitization for DRC defense and security forces on Human rights due diligence policy and human rights and international humanitarian law. 6. Increasing implementation of the international human rights mechanisms JHRO is also strengthening institutions and CSOs capacity on reporting to the human rights mechanisms through capacity building and sensitization on human rights, to improve their capacity to report to the human rights mechanisms (HRM) and to develop and implement joint workplans.
Swedish aid in numbers and reports
Do you want to read more about the results of Swedish aid?
Reports from the Expert Group for Aid Studies and Sida's strategy and corruption reports Sida's annual report (Swedish only)