The West Africa Programme

The overall objective of the West Africa Programme in Burkina Faso, Niger and Mali in 2013-2016 is to support the development of a well-functioning national human rights system, where key human rights actors exercise their mandate and/or mission effectively and complement the role of other actors. The country specific projects are supported by regional strengthening of human rights expertise by collaboration with the Chaire Unesco,a human rights centre at the University at Abomey Calavi in Benin.

Selected key results for 2015 include:

• The Ministry of Justice and Human Rights of Burkina Faso coordinates dialogue and implementation of adopted Universal Periodic Review recommendations within the government and with line ministries, and conducts consultations with civil society;
• The Ministry of Justice of Niger ensures adequate institutional mechanisms to respond to Niger’s reporting obligations with regard to international normative human rights framework.
• The National Police of Burkina Faso promotes a human rights culture through its police school curricula.
• The National Police and the National Guard of Niger develop specific tools and techniques to reinforce human rights practices and enhance the effectiveness of Police and National Guard services and their respective internal control mechanisms.
• Mali’s Human Rights Commission’s national mandate has been strengthened, in particular in relation to monitoring of human rights, including UPR recommendations accepted by Mali.
• The network of paralegals in Mali has been extended to the northern regions and strengthened to contribute to the education of populations on their rights as well as to more active public participation in local communities.
• The knowledge of duty bearers’ regarding legal and policy frameworks has increased with regard to the mining industries in Niger.
• The focus on police and human rights in the activities of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights is informed by the work of the national police in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger. The three police institutions have established the West African Police & human rights platform (POLI.DH) to promote human rights in police work.
• Human rights expertise and capacities are increasing in francophone West Africa thanks to the Human rights master and PHD programs conducted by Chaire Unesco at the University of Abomey Calavi in Cotonou-Benin.

Partners

State actors such as ministries of human rights and ministries of justice, police services, national human rights institutions, legal aid NGOs, Universities, the Africa Commission on Human and Peoples’ rights.

Donors

• Danish Ministry of Foreign affairs
• European Union
• The Swedish development cooperation (SIDA)