Justice Innovation Labs for sustainable solutions Hadin kai-bani fondo: A digital platform for land conflict resolution in Niger

Hadin kai-bani fondo: A digital platform for land conflict resolution in Niger

Justice innovation lab in Niger

The Justice Innovation Lab (JIL) in Niger set out to co-create a sustainable approach to preventing and resolving land disputes related to shared natural resources. Through a structured, design-thinking process spanning four sessions from 2023 to 2024, key justice stakeholders — including traditional leaders, government officials, and farming organisations — collaborated to develop a solution uniquely tailored to Niger’s specific context. Their goal was to create an accessible, user-centred justice tool that strengthens local mechanisms for conflict prevention and resolution.

Overview of legal needs in Niger

Niger faces a pressing challenge: nearly a quarter of its population encounters land conflicts annually. According to HiiL’s 2023 Justice Needs and Satisfaction Survey, these disputes—impacting 23% of Nigeriens—primarily concern livestock ownership, land use, and boundary issues. This issue disproportionately affects rural areas, home to over 80% of Niger’s population. While customary authorities are integral to conflict mediation, they frequently face two key barriers: limited legal knowledge and a lack of suitable tools to deliver fair and enduring solutions.

Designing the solution: Hadin kai-bani fondo

Hadin kai-bani fondo, meaning “The Path to Cohesion,” is a pioneering digital platform that supports the management of land and resource disputes through innovative digital solutions. Accessible online and offline, this platform bolsters the capacities of traditional leaders and supports local communities in addressing everyday challenges. Organised into step-by-step guides and a conversational format, the platform offers valuable information, guidelines, and best practices for resolving or preventing various types of conflicts. The strength of this solution lies in its inclusive governance model, led by the Ministry of Justice and supported by a steering committee of experts from the National Legal Aid Agency (ANAJJ), the Permanent Secretariat of the Rural Code, and the Association of Traditional Chiefs of Niger.

Key features

Objective: To inform and train traditional leaders on using the platform while strengthening their mediation skills, particularly in disputes involving shared natural resources. This approach modernises practices while preserving the vital role of traditional authorities. Supported by the Rural Code and ANAJJ’s extensive village network, these caravans are efficient and cost-effective.
Functionality:

Awareness Campaigns: Nationwide dynamic campaigns will introduce the platform to customary leaders and local communities.
Training Caravans: Mobile workshops will equip customary authorities with the skills to use the platform and its voice assistant. This hands-on training strengthens their mediation capabilities, providing effective new tools for conflict resolution.

Benefits

Enhanced access to justice: The platform revolutionises access to justice in rural areas, providing swift, customised solutions for conflict prevention and resolution. Building on traditional systems it reinforces the role of customary authorities while upgrading their mediation tools.
Empowerment of traditional authorities: Equipped with legal resources and cutting-edge digital tools, customary leaders enhance their legitimacy and effectiveness, empowering them to make more informed and equal decisions in land conflict cases.
Inclusivity: With an intelligent voice assistant, literacy and internet access are no longer obstacles. This simple, universal solution is adaptable to all users, irrespective of skills or resources.
Conflict prevention: By offering timely legal guidance and clear, actionable information, the platform helps prevent conflicts from escalating, fostering peace and social cohesion within communities.

In essence, Hadin kai-bani fondo empowers local leaders and communities by placing customary chiefs at the forefront, making land justice in Niger more accessible, transparent, and effective for all.

Scoping session, evaluation of the problems identified in terms of impact and ease of resolution.

Ideation session, miniature model of the solution.

Ideation session, Feedback from the group work

Prototyping session: participants test the platform

Reflections of participants

On the first day of this Justice Innovation Lab, we felt as though we were playing a game; yet through this ‘game,’ we addressed significant issues and engaged in meaningful discussions that yielded valuable insights into resolving land-related disputes. The process is very fascinating. It builds from scratch and comes up with very good, innovative ideas to solve these longstanding problems of community justice.

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Hadin kai-bani fondo: A digital platform for land conflict resolution in Niger

Justice innovation lab in Niger

Overview of legal needs in Niger

Designing the solution: Hadin kai-bani fondo

Key features

Benefits

Reflections of participants

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