Mali Justice Project Quarterly Report Quarter 3, Fiscal Year 2020 – 04/01/2020 to 06/30/2020

Component 1 of the project focuses on increasing the capacity of judicial organizations to implement and advance justice-related reforms and policy interventions. During the quarter, the Minister of Justice and Human Rights signed a decision to create a working group to revise the texts establishing the organization and function of the central services, starting with the National Directorate for Justice Administration (DNAJ). This process is part of the implementation of the recently adopted Justice Sector Orientation and Programming Act for 2020-2024. MJP also continued to support the Standing Legislative Committee (CPL), steered by the DNAJS, which has devoted three sessions to the examination of Books 1-4 of the preliminary draft Penal Code developed by an MJP consultant. Additionally, MJP provided training for the Ministry of Justice's material accountants to strengthen traceability and transparency in the management of resources and equipment allocated to the central services and courts. The project also finalized the courts assessment guidebook following a second and final joint test mission with the DNAJ at the High Court of Koulikoro. In the area of improving the perception of the judiciary, the Quick Impact Project (QIP) renovations at the High Courts of Kati, Koulikoro, and Commune II of the District of Bamako were completed and approved this quarter. The last four QIP sites in the current round of projects were approved by USAID this quarter and will begin at the High Courts of Commune I and 5 of the District of Bamako, the High Court of Mopti, and the Court of Appeal of Sevaré early next quarter. Component 2 of the project focuses on increasing immediate access to justice. During this quarter, MJP continued to provide support to the Government of Mali in its bid to find complementarity between traditional and formal justice systems. Following the establishment of the working group that will lead the national training of traditional authorities, MJP drafted the traditional authorities training curriculum. The curriculum is a key document that will serve as the basis for the traditional authorities capacity building activities. MJP also continued to provide support to eleven grantees working in seven regions of Mali, conducting technical support online due to restrictions stemming from COVID-19 preventive measures. The project approved some no-cost extension requests from grantees to continue implementing activities that could comply with the COVID-19 restrictions. These activities include legal consultation, conflict mediation, and radio programming. The Hakew Sabatili platform continued to provide comprehensive assistance to survivors of gender-based violence through Bamako's two Women's Centers. As part of the project's advocacy efforts to reform Mali's legal aid system, MJP drafted two major documents this quarter. The first document is the proceedings of the conference on paralegalism organized in 2019, and the second document is the strategic guide for legal aid in Mali that will serve as a basis for legislative reform advocacy.