Project Description:

The proposed Ministry of Justice SGBV Crimes Unit is a specifically trained unit set up to provide rapid investigative and prosecutorial response to complaints of sexual assault, abuse and exploitation in order to justly and fairly hold perpetrators accountable and provide support to victims in order to justly and fairly hold perpetrators accountable and provide support to victims in order to reduce the incidence of sexual violence in Liberia. Acting to safeguard the rights and freedoms of Liberians, particularly those most vulnerable to SGBV (women, girls and boys) will result in the restoration of their dignity and status in society, and legitimisation of this status by the state. By prosecuting cases of sexual assault, there will be an increase in the number of cases prosecuted in a timely and professional manner. The SGBV Crimes Unit will serve as the mechanism for accountability for the MoJ for all sexual offences brought within the justice system. Liberia’s confidence in the justice system will improve, and the system – as it relates to Liberia’s most prevalent and destructive crimes – will be associated with Justice as opposed to impunity.

Peacebuilding Impact:

Improving prosecution services targeting SGBV crimes, with a focus on vulnerable women, girls and children, will contribute to a functioning and credible criminal justice system capable of ensuring that perpetrators of sexual offences are fairly prosecuted, and victims have fair and effective redress through the formal justice system, with a view towards enhancing public trust, promoting public safety and justice to achieve consolidated peace

Outcome(s)

Key Outcomes:

1. The MOJ’s internal structures are reformed to allow for targeted and efficient prosecution of SGBV crimes by a specialized team of prosecutors, investigators and victim support officer.
2. The SGBV Crimes Unit prosecutors, investigators and victim support advocate are efficiently trained in procedural and substantive areas in order to enhance justice delivery to the community.
3. The SGBV Crimes Unit works with partners, through its outreach and Training Coordinator, on public education in relation to SGBV and the Unit’s work, enhancing public trust, promoting engagement with the formal justice system in cases of SGBV, and thereby reducing resort to violence or alternatives to formal justice.

Outputs and Key Activities:

Outputs:

1. Operational plan for the prosecution of SGBV crimes developed by the MoJ
2. SGBV Crimes Unit physically established and staffed. Information collection system is established. Prosecution by the Unit commences.
3. SGBV Crimes Unit prosecutors, investigators and victim support advocate are effectively trained further in procedural and substantive areas to enhance prosecutorial effectiveness
4. Public Education and Awareness of the SGBV Crimes Unit’s works enhanced, in coordination with partners

Key Activities:

1. Formulation of the Operational Plan of the SGBV Crimes Unit
2. Physical refurbishment and equipping, including logistics – of the SGBV Crimes Unit
3. Training seminars and workshops held for SGBV Crimes Unit prosecutors and legal professionals
4. Coordination, data-collection and information-sharing
5. Public education and awareness-raising

Indicator and Benchmarks:

Peacebuilding Impact Indicator:

Accountability and trust in the Liberian criminal Justice system is increase among the public through the timely and effective prosecution of SGBV cases especially involving women, girls and children.

Output indicators:

1. Level of increase in Government prosecutorial institutional and human resource capacities to effectively handle SGBV cases
2. Level of increase in number of SGBV cases that are prosecuted in court and cases successfully adjudicated
3. Level of increase in coordination among stakeholders in relation to information sharing and data collection involving SGBV offences
4. Level of increase of knowledge among the public of SGBV issues and the work of the SGBV prosecution unit/MoJ/LNP