{"id":569,"date":"2019-10-16T12:39:00","date_gmt":"2019-10-16T12:39:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cordaid.org\/en\/?p=569"},"modified":"2023-10-02T14:54:14","modified_gmt":"2023-10-02T14:54:14","slug":"delivering-justice-where-people-seek-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cordaid.org\/en\/news\/delivering-justice-where-people-seek-it\/","title":{"rendered":"Linking everyday justice providers to SDG16"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Cordaid and the Overseas Development Institute (ODI) turned the spotlight on everyday justice providers, and their relevance to achieving justice for all in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). At policy dialogues in London and New York City, Cordaid and ODI highlighted how the vast majority of justice providers resort to justice providers operating outside formal systems\u2014and what kinds of support can improve the outcomes those justice seekers get.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A woman and man face the Bashingatanhe, Burundi\u2019s customary justice providers. Image: Stuart Freedman<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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Nearly 1.5 billion people<\/a> have no way to solve legal disputes or find redress for crimes they have experienced. The brunt of this justice gap is borne by the very poorest and vulnerable groups, like women and girls. It is a significant driver of conflict and a brake on development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In several countries, Cordaid and its partners work to strengthen access to justice, including through everyday providers spanning customary authorities, elders, faith-based or indigenous justice systems, community-based dispute resolution mechanisms, and others. Drawing on that rich experience, Cordaid and ODI published a new report<\/a> offering concrete recommendations for policymakers and practitioners engaging with everyday justice providers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Promoting policy dialogue on SDG16<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At two events, Cordaid and ODI facilitated policy dialogue on the link between everyday justice providers and SDG16. SDG16 promotes peaceful, just and inclusive societies and includes a specific target on delivering justice for all by 2030. This year, the international community reviewed progress toward SDG16 and other goals at a High-Level Political Forum in July and an SDG Summit in September.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In London, ODI hosted a report launch that featured Masood Karokhail, head of Cordaid\u2019s main partner in Afghanistan, SALAH Consortium. In New York, Canada and Uganda co-hosted a public roundtable with Cordaid, ODI, and the International Development Law Organization (IDLO), moderated by David Steven from the Task Force on Justice. Both events drew attention to the fundamental role played by everyday justice providers in the lives of many people around the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cStates should recognise the dynamic character of indigenous customary law and the ability of indigenous justice systems, like other justice systems, to adapt to contemporary situations and evolve.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

At the New York dialogue, speakers emphasized there can be no meaningful effort to close the justice gap that does not grapple with the prevalence of everyday justice providers. Uganda\u2019s Ambassador Philip Ochen Odida noted that everyday justice providers are the first resort of poor, rural and remote communities. \u201cTo leave no one behind, it\u2019s essential that we make sure the justice needs of the poor and marginalized, and especially women, are attended to.\u201d Victoria Tauli-Corpuz, the UN Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples, emphasized that indigenous peoples\u2019 own justice systems are essential to ensuring their autonomy and survival.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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David Steven from Task Force on Justice moderates New York policy dialogue. Image: IDLO<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Diverse pathways to 2030<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Efforts to accelerate progress on SDG16 risk overlooking the diverse ways in which the majority of people resolve disputes and seek redress, especially in fragile and conflict-affected contexts. The report by Cordaid and ODI adds to voices, such as those in recent reports from IDLO, that call for deliberate engagement with everyday justice providers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is not to suggest that everyday justice providers are unproblematic. All justice providers\u2013in statutory legal systems, or more broadly\u2013are steeped in prevailing political, social and economic dynamics, and incorporate inequalities and biases. Customary justice systems tend to be patriarchal in nature, with harmful effects on women\u2019s access to justice. Yet a key insight of the Cordaid-ODI report is that everyday justice providers present no lesser and no greater a challenge on issues like rights observance and accountability than the formal courts, judges, and lawyers on which international rule of law aid typically focuses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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An Afghan woman during a community consultation. Image: Cordaid<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The report aims to shift SDG 16.3 debates toward innovative, evidence-based recognition of more diverse pathways to justice<\/strong>, focusing on the mechanisms and processes people are already using. It sets out:<\/p>\n\n\n\n