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Present in Sudan since 2004, Terre des hommes (Tdh) held a ceremony to mark the official launch of a new juvenile justice project on September 22, 2014 in Khartoum. The project started up on April 1 and is entitled "Promotion and protection of the rights of children in conflict with the law". The project covers all youths suspected, accused, or found guilty of having committed an offense. It aims to protect and promote the rights of children in conflict with the law and reduce their contact with the Khartoum state government’s formal justice system.
Through this project, Tdh, in collaboration with its partners (local NGOs Baladna and Sabah as well as the Police Unit for Child Protection and the Family in Bahri), takes a restorative approach towards children in conflict with the law by implementing or supporting mechanisms for reconciliation, and more specifically through community conferences. Tdh also proposes to improve conditions in two detention centers for minors run by the Khartoum state government - the only ones in Sudan - and to develop best practices in relation to the rights of the child. The Foundation should also conduct a situational analysis on the informal justice system in Khartoum and in another Sudanese state in partnership with the University of Khartoum’s Faculty of Law. This analysis should allow for better identification of players in the informal justice system, mechanisms used to resolve cases of infractions involving minors, and existing and potential linkages between the formal and informal justice systems.
The event was attended by nearly 100 participants, including direct project partners, representatives of the Sudanese authorities (including the Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Social Development and Humanitarian Aid Commission), the French embassy in Sudan, the ICRC, the Swiss embassy, Sudanese NGOs, community organizations and the media. Community leaders in the project’s area of intervention in Khartoum particularly appreciated the invitation. This point is of real importance for Tdh and its partners. Indeed, as the children directly impacted by the project live in these communities, it is essential to work with these leaders, especially to facilitate understanding, contextual adaptation, acceptance and implementation of the diversion measures proposed by the project.
The project "Promotion and protection of the rights of children in conflict with the law" is implemented in cooperation with and under the supervision of the Khartoum Council for Child Welfare (KCCW). It is funded by the French embassy. Terre des hommes brings about positive change in the lives of more than two million children and their family members each year. Learn more about our projects in Sudan.
