Programa para el Fortalecimiento de Instituciones de Justicia Penal Estatal en México (ConJusticia) Quarterly Progress Report FY 2021, Quarter 2

The activity seeks to strengthen institutional functions and build the capacity of prosecutors, judges, and other state-level actors to improve prosecution of high-priority crimes, reduce impunity, and increase accountability. ConJusticia's target states include Chihuahua, Coahuila, Hidalgo, Nayarit, Nuevo León, San Luis Potosí, Sonora, and Zacatecas. The activity began implementation in three states (Sonora, Coahuila, and Nayarit) as part of a phased implementation approach for year 1 activities. ConJusticia also collaborates with two resource states, Guanajuato and Queretaro, whose best practices will inform the activities designed with peer institutions in target states. The COVID-19 pandemic has presented a significant challenge for local justice systems, with large backlogs in caseloads and operational constraints. However, some institutions have returned to full-capacity, in-person operations as Mexican state governments declare progress in the federal stoplight system. ConJusticia is developing tailored technical assistance for each target institution focused on improved case distribution, prioritization, and management. ConJusticia has made significant progress in achieving high-level and broad-based support for its activities and policy dialogue in three target states. The program conducted a series of working sessions and highly successful public launch events in Sonora, Coahuila, and Nayarit, which gained high-profile support and participation from local leaders, the private sector, civil society, and academia. The program also helped set the agenda for strategic criminal prosecution nationwide through a successful online webinar that reached over 300 participants, including nine Attorneys General from across Mexico. The applied Political Economy Analysis (PEA) is a foundational activity that will inform the strategic approach of the program with local leaders and relevant stakeholders. The PEA will provide ConJusticia with an opportunity to systematically revisit the political economy factors that are likely to influence the ability of the project to achieve its intended results. Gender equality and social inclusion-oriented questions have also been integrated into the activity's PEA process, which will inform the mainstreaming of the approach moving forward. ConJusticia's Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Plan and the Gender Equality and Social Inclusion Strategy are also being implemented. The program is developing the Institutional Maturity Model, which will serve as a key tool for risk monitoring in all target states. The start of an applied Political Economy Analysis has also been initiated, which will provide ConJusticia with an opportunity to systematically revisit the political economy factors that are likely to influence the ability of the project to achieve its intended results. The program has made significant progress in its first quarter of implementation, with high-level and broad-based support for its activities and policy dialogue in three target states. ConJusticia's tailored technical assistance and methodologies, such as task forces and 100-Day Challenges, will help combat specific criminal phenomena and re-engineer inefficient processes within local justice systems. The program's focus on improving case distribution, prioritization, and management will also help reduce backlogs in caseloads and improve institutional efficiency.