Yaren (Nauru), 26 July 2024 – In an effort to address the pressing well-being concerns of judicial officers worldwide, judicial leaders and stakeholders from across the Pacific adopted this week the Declaration on Judicial Well-Being. The Declaration responds to the unprecedented challenges faced by judiciaries in the 21st century.
“Judges around the world face immense stress, high workloads, and unprecedented pressures. These factors compromise their mental health, leading to burnout, reduced productivity, and ultimately impairing their ability to deliver justice in an impartial manner,” said Judge José Igreja Matos, Member of the Advisory Board of the Global Judicial Integrity Network and President of the Court of Appeal in Porto, Portugal. “We must confront these challenges head-on.”
The Declaration was adopted at a Regional Judicial Conference organized by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in partnership with the Nauru Judiciary and supported by the Department of Justice of Nauru in Yaren, the capital.
Almost twenty judicial leaders and other judicial experts from around the world drafted the Declaration. It calls for collective attention to the physical, mental, emotional and psychological health of judges, emphasizing the principles of independence, impartiality, integrity, propriety, competence and diligence as outlined in the Bangalore Principles of Judicial Conduct.
“The most important asset for a court is a healthy judge,” said Chief Justice Sykes of Jamaica during the first meeting of the drafting committee, setting the tone for the initiative.
Taboo: mental health and stress
A 2021 survey by the UNODC Global Judicial Integrity Network shines light on wellbeing experiences of judges from around the world and collects suggestions on how the judiciary could better support judicial well-being. The survey, with responses from 758 judges and other judiciary members from 102 countries, found that 76% of judges do not have sufficient time to maintain optimal physical and mental well-being. Yet, 69% felt that discussions about mental health and stress are a taboo in their judiciary. Over 89% of survey participants knew of colleagues experiencing stressor anxiety, while the majority felt their judiciaries provided insufficient support for these issues.
“In 2014, when I began efforts to help judges manage stress and achieve a balanced mind, judicial well-being was barely recognized, often met with skepticism, and considered a taboo topic,” said Justice Rangajeeva Wimalasena, President of the Court of Appeal of Nauru. “I realized that judicial stress is a global issue affecting both small and large judiciaries. Today, I am hopeful that the seven principles enshrined in the Nauru Declaration on Judicial Well-being will serve as a global catalyst, empowering judiciaries to support their judges in delivering quality justice.”
The Declaration aims to raise awareness and promote strategies to support the well-being of judges, recognizing the linkages between judicial well-being and integrity and aligning with the objectives of article 11 on judicial integrity of the United Nations Convention against Corruption.
The adoption of the Declaration represents a transformative step toward promoting judicial well-being worldwide. It aligns with the broader objectives of the Teieniwa Vision, the Pacific region’s roadmap and platform to address corruption, emphasizing the need for independent integrity bodies and collective anti-corruption efforts. As the conference concluded, participants committed to implementing the principles outlined in the Declaration.
“The Declaration on Judicial Well-Being calls on judiciaries worldwide to prioritize their officers’ health, ensuring justice is administered effectively and ethically,” said Marie Pegie Cauchois, UNODC Pacific Officer in Charge and Regional Anti-Corruption Adviser. “This unified approach aims to make judicial well-being a paramount concern, essential for delivering justice and upholding the core values enshrined in the Bangalore Principles.”
The outcomes of the Regional Judicial Conference in Nauru set a new standard for future initiatives, highlighting the crucial link between judicial well-being and judicial integrity.
“Judicial well-being and integrity are closely connected. When judicial environment upholds integrity and the highest ethical standards, it fosters judges’ well-being. In turn, supported and thriving judges are able to deliver high-quality justice and enhance public confidence in the judiciary,” said Tatiana Veress, Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Officer at UNODC, who coordinates the Global Judicial Integrity Network and its work on judicial well-being.
Visit the Judicial Wellbeing webpage to learn more.
