Preventing Torture in La Francophonie Countries

This project aims to significantly improve the rule of law in La Francophonie through the implementation of international and national standards enforcing existing legal safeguards and improving access to justice to all individuals particularly marginalized groups including women and youth. The project focuses its efforts in Burkina Faso Burundi Cameroon Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda. Direct prevention of torture is achieved through early access to trained legal counsel; it is the combination of defenders taking cases and proper training that ensures impact. Through training multi-stakeholder dialogues rights awareness campaigns and the exchange of good practices the project reinforces the capacity of human rights defenders to provide legal representation increases awareness and engagement in the promotion and protection of human rights and creates a structure to prevent torture or inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment within the justice system.

The expected outcomes of this project include: a) more effective implementation of laws and safeguards relating to due process rights within the criminal system and /or greater awareness of these in the five target countries; b) enhanced implementation of international and regional standards related to the prevention of torture in Burkina Faso and Cameroon; c) increased involvement of community leaders legal professionals civil society organizations national hman rights institutions (NHRIs) and justice sector officials in shaping policy programs and decision making aimed at the prevention of torture in the criminal justice system through access to justice and human rights education in the five target countries; and d) more effective policy and program recommendations provided to the OIF and other relevant institutions in La Francophonie by alliances and networks of legal professionals representatives of civil society organizations NHRIs and justice sector officials.