Project profile — Supporting the Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission for the Stabilization of Mali

The expected results for this project include: 1) The CVJR is better equipped to investigate and shed light on human rights violations committed during conflicts and other episodes of armed violence, including sexual violence and other violations against women and girls; 2) The CVJR is better equipped to ensure that victims, especially women and girls, are heard at public hearings; 3) The CVJR is better equipped to produce a final report that includes recommendations to the State; 4)The CVJR is better able to engage victims and the authorities responsible for the implementation of its recommendations.

Results achieved as of March 2021 include: (1) 26 new actions out of a targeted 20 were developed to enable the Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission (CVJR) to be a catalyst for peace, including the drafting of 12 investigative reports, 4 reports on psychological support for victims and 3 leaflets on deprivations of the right to liberty; (2) 80% of stakeholders involved report that the CVJR contributes effectively to the national dialogue on peace and reconciliation, which is a very satisfactory result overall taking into consideration the lack of trust between civil society and other Malian institutions; (3) 3 public hearings held during the project focused on deprivations of the right to liberty, deprivations of the right to life, and enforced disappearances, respectively. The project’s key outcomes impacted a wide range of beneficiaries, including victims, the public, CVJR employees, journalists, authorities and interpreters; (4) all women involved in the project expressed satisfaction with their participation in the public hearings, and all the CVJR employees involved in the public hearings could describe good practices that enabled women and girls’ participation, against an 85% target; (5) drafting committee members of the final report felt confident in their ability to produce a final report that is accessible to victims and includes recommendations to the state. All CVJR members tested could describe good practices on measures likely to ensure the conflict does not recur; and (6) civil society organizations partnering in the project consider that their ability to document serious human rights violations has increased to 100%, exceeding the target of 75%. In addition, 86 victims (including 71 women) out of a targeted 85 were represented before the national and supranational courts.