Mwatana for Human Rights has formulated a strategic plan covering the years 2020 to 2023 to realize its vision, mission, and goals. In pursuit of this, the organization has engaged the services of both a local and an international expert to assist in the development of the strategic plan.
The experts conducted initial participatory discussions with Mwatana's team to analyze the organization's operating environment, assess the current situation and associated risks, including those posed by the armed conflict, and identify appropriate ways to achieve its vision, mission, and strategic goals.
Mwatana's activities center around documenting violations committed by all parties to the conflict, providing legal support to victims, and conducting advocacy and pressure campaigns in collaboration with international partners. The organization leverages its documented evidence of human rights violations to hold accountable those responsible for these violations and to secure justice for the victims.
In light of this, Mwatana has developed a strategic plan that outlines the main parameters for action and the steps to be taken within a three-year period (2020 to 2023). This strategic plan serves as a basic guide for the organization's operations, activities, and efforts towards specific strategic goals. The four strategic goals that have been identified are:
• To contribute to creating a human rights memory of violations.
• To advocate for justice for victims of human rights violations and to hold violators accountable.
• To create an environment that is aware of the culture and principles of human rights.
• To build and enhance the capacities of the most concerned and influential groups in the field of human rights.
To achieve these goals, a set of strategic interventions has been designed to serve as specific objectives that can be pursued during the strategy's time frame. Mwatana is committed to evaluating its progress over the three-year period as a basis for developing a new strategic plan for the future.
To achieve these goals, several strategic interventions have been developed as specific objectives to be worked on during the three-year period of the strategy. The target level and achievements during this period are the following:
- The objective is to detect and document human rights violations using an investigative field research methodology. According to the indicators set for achieving this objective, 90% of the detected incidents should have full information and 20% of the detected incidents should be audited and reviewed. It is worth noting that we have exceeded the first indicator, as 95% of the detected incidents have full information. The Research and Studies Unit periodically audits and reviews 20% of the detected incidents to meet the second indicator.
- The objective is to develop and publish human rights materials of a documentary and investigative nature. The following indicators identify the type and number of materials that should be published to achieve this objective:
- Publishing nine human rights reports. Fifteen human rights reports have been developed and published to achieve this indicator.
- Publishing six research studies. Five research studies have been developed and published to achieve this indicator.
- Publishing 30 human rights statements. Ninety-one human rights statements have been published to achieve this indicator.
- Publishing six documentaries. Ten documentaries have been published to achieve this indicator.
- Publishing 30 blogs. Fifty-four blogs have been published to achieve this indicator.
- The objective is to develop a comprehensive electronic database to document human rights violations. To achieve this objective, Mwatana has established the Data and Information Management. This department has developed an effective mechanism to process and preserve information and data, working towards achieving this objective.
- The objective is to provide legal support to victims of arbitrary detention, enforced disappearance, torture, and other resulting human rights violations. The first indicator set to achieve this objective was to provide legal support to 750 victims. However, Mwatana has provided legal support to 1,681 victims, exceeding the set target. The second indicator was to review 20% of cases for which legal support was provided by communicating with witnesses or victims to verify information and gather their statements about the service provided to them. The Legal Support Unit documents this process on a monthly basis.
- The objective is to communicate the voices of victims of human rights violations to the international community through advocacy activities, campaigns, and collaboration with international actors. This objective is measured by conducting six advocacy activities. However, Mwatana has exceeded this indicator by implementing at least 13 advocacy activities, reflecting the organization's increased efforts to raise awareness and advocate for victims of violations on the international stage.
- The objective is to work on accountability and redress by filing accountability cases, aiming to provide justice to victims and hold violators accountable. The indicator for this objective is to carry out a minimum of 15 accountability activities. However, the Accountability, Redress and Advocacy Unit has surpassed this target and implemented at least 32 accountability activities.
- The objective is to raise awareness among victims and the general public about their rights, as well as the values and principles of human rights and international law. The first indicator for this objective is the number of community meetings conducted. It was planned to conduct at least 30 community meetings, but only six have been conducted. The second indicator is the publication of six awareness videos. However, eight awareness videos have been produced and published.
- The objective of Mwatana is to raise awareness about the organization's work and efforts among actors that have a direct or indirect impact on human rights violations. The indicator for achieving this objective is to increase the number of Mwatana's social media followers by 20%. However, the actual increase was an average of 14%, although there was a periodic increase in the number of visits to the organization's website by 3.5%.
- The objective is to enhance the capacity of Mwatana's team in specialized fields of work. The indicator for achieving this objective is to improve the capacity of at least 10% of the organization's staff. However, Mwatana exceeded this target by providing specialized training to 19 % of the staff in the first year and nearly 97% of the staff by the third year.
- The objective is to build the capacity of researchers and monitors in the field of documenting violations and drafting human rights materials. The indicator of this objective was to conduct six training programs. However, only five training programs have been conducted.
- The objective is to enhance the capacity of lawyers and judicial staff through six capacity-building activities. Unfortunately, the planned activities were not implemented due to a lack of funding during the strategy period.
