Equal access to justice for all

UNODC successfully concludes Expert Group Meeting on Equal Access to Justice for All in Brazil

Leaving no one behind: how legal aid services are strengthening equal access to justice in Southern Africa

What works best in interviewing suspects, victims and witnesses of crime? Find out more:

Equal access to justice for all is a key component of fair, humane, effective, inclusive, and efficient justice systems.

There remains a significant gap in access to justice, as highlighted in the Global Progress Report on Sustainable Development Goal 16, At the Crossroads: Breakdown or Breakthrough for Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions:

A key concern for individuals seeking justice, particularly in cases of physical and sexual violence, is the underreporting of such incidents. Data reveals that less than 50% of those who experience physical violence report the incident, while the reporting rate for sexual violence is alarmingly low, at only 17%.
In 2022, nearly a third of the global prison population, 3.5 million people, was being held untried, in pre-trial or awaiting a first instance decision on their case, and their share has remained stable since 2015 (around 30%).
Discrimination affects one in six people globally, with racial discrimination being the most pervasive form. Additionally, individuals with disabilities face discrimination nearly twice as frequently as those without disabilities.

“…We must step u p global action and cooperation to promote justice and the rule of law, to protect women, children, and the vulnerable, and to support effective, accountable, and inclusive institutions that enjoy the trust of the public.”

Ghada Waly
Executive Director of UNODC

The objectives of ensuring access to justice and realizing a safe and secure society are central to the commitments expressed in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals 5, 10, 16, 17, particularly in Target 16.3, which focuses on promoting peaceful and inclusive societies, providing access to justice for all, and building effective, accountable, and inclusive institutions at all levels, as well as the Secretary-General’s new Vision for the Rule of Law. In the Kyoto Declaration on Advancing Crime Prevention, Criminal Justice, and the Rule of Law, as well as in numerous resolutions, including the most recent General Assembly resolution 78/227 adopted on December 19, 2023, on Equal Access to Justice for All, Member States have recommitted to various key priorities and emerging issues in this regard.

UNODC's work is based on the understanding that, to truly address the challenges and barriers hindering access to justice, it is essential to enhance the criminal justice system so that all those affected by crime can seek and obtain justice in accordance with the rule of law and human rights standards. This principle is crucial for preventing crime, human rights abuses, and conflict by addressing and reducing inequalities. It also requires a policy development approach that centers on and includes those who have been marginalized or faced discrimination.

Transformative efforts focus on:

Addressing discrimination in the criminal justice system, supporting victims of hate crime and building representative, inclusive and fair criminal justice systems
Ensuring access to legal aid in criminal justice systems, to those detained, arrested or imprisoned, suspected or accused of, or charged with a criminal offence and for victims and witnesses
Reforming and modernizing police and other law enforcement institutions
Increasing the efficiency, accountability, and integrity of criminal justice institutions
Furthering human rights-based approaches to the use of new technologies
Widening the use of restorative justice
Protecting, assisting, and supporting victims of crime

— **Equal access to justice for all is at the heart of the equality and non-discrimination objective of the Sustainable Development Goals: to leave no one behind —**

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IMPLEMENTATION OF GENERAL ASSEMBLY RESOLUTION 78/227

In General Assembly resolution 78/227 UNODC is requested to “convene a meeting of experts, nominated by Member States, during the intersessional period, with interpretation into all official languages of the United Nations, subject to the availability of extrabudgetary resources, with a view to sharing information on challenges, lessons learned, best practices and enabling factors needed to enhance the functioning of criminal justice systems to ensure equal access to justice for all”.

CONTRIBUTIONS RECEIVED

In preparation for the Expert Group Meeting, Member States, intergovernmental organizations, and non-governmental organizations provided substantive information on challenges, lessons learned, best practices, and enabling factors needed to improve the functioning of criminal justice systems and ensure equal access to justice for all.

These contributions will be integrated into the report, which will be presented, in line with operative paragraph 16 of GA resolution 78/227, to the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (CCPCJ) at its 34th session in May 2025.

Canada

Federative Republic of Brazil

Japan

Kingdom of Belgium

Kingdom of the Netherlands

People's Republic of China

Principality of Andorra

Republic of North Macedonia

Republic of Panama

Republic of Singapore

United States of America

Office of the High Commisioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)

Council of Europe

International Anti-Corruption Academy

International Criminal Court

International Institute for Justice and the Rule of Law

Organization of American States

Abraham's Children Foundation

Action for Education and Promotion of Women

Africa Network of People Who Use Drugs

African Policing Civilian Oversight Forum

Ágora

Christian Education and Development Organization

ELEM/Youth in Distress

Fundación Luz María

Hayat

International Movement for Advancement of Education Culture Social & Economic Development

International Organization for Victim Assistance

Kathak Academy

Liberian United Youth for Community Safety and Development

Metzineres

People's Federation for National Peace and Development

Public-Private Integrity

Rosana Empowerment Foundation

Tanzania Organization of Serving Orphans and Vulnerable Children

Tiaty Youth Development Association

Women Support Women Community Network

Zonta International

Agora and the Latin American Network of Drug Users

European Institute for Crime Prevention and Control

Japan Federation of Bar Associations

Victim Support Europe

World Society of Victimology

RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE EXPERT GROUP MEETING

The Expert Group Meeting was organized by UNODC and hosted at the Ministry of Justice and Public Security in Brasília, Brazil, from 9 to 11 December 2024, with support from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Brazil and the Government of Canada. Forty experts, nominated by 30 Member States, participated in the meeting.

The Experts’ recommendations were shared by Brazil and Canada as a conference room paper for consideration in the regional preparatory meetings of the Fifteenth United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice and for possible inclusion in the draft Abu Dhabi Declaration.

OUR SERVICES

Groups and individuals who have been structurally and institutionally marginalized and discriminated against in society often face obstacles when in contact with the criminal justice system, whether as accused persons, victims, or witnesses.

This reinforces mistrust in institutions, poverty, and exclusion. In this context, to achieve the commitmment of leaving no one behind, it is crucial to ensure a people-centered approach to reform or professionalization efforts, guaranteeing non-discriminatory, humane, fair, and just service provision, while also ensuring accountability and transparency in all interventions.

Pursuant to General Assembly resolution 78/227, UNODC continues to develop technical tools and training materials based on United Nations standards and norms in crime prevention and criminal justice, and to provide technical and material assistance to Member States, upon request, to ensure universal access to justice.

Programming aimed at advancing equal access to justice and improving justice delivery must be evidence-based. UNODC's approach is customized to fit regional, national, and local contexts and are guided by both international legal standards and relevant local laws and customs. A broad range of evidence is utilized, including scientifically rigorous studies, smaller empirical research, program evaluations, and insights from civil society organizations and community voices. This comprehensive evidence base informs the development, testing, implementation, and refinement of programs.

SPOTLIGHT

2024-12-11

Brasilia, Brazil

Experts discuss global strategies to promote equal access to justice at UNODC-led meeting in Brazil

2024-11-21

Vienna, Austria

UNODC holds a conference on access to legal aid in criminal justice systems with experts from around the world

2024-09-26

Windhoek, Namibia

UNODC hosts the first-ever Workshop on Enhancing Equal Access to Legal Aid in Criminal Justice Systems in the Southern African Development Community (SADC)

2024-08-15

Castries, Saint Lucia

Efforts to strengthen Human Rights-based and Gender-sensitive Policing in Saint Lucia

MULTIMEDIA

LATEST PUBLICATIONS

Resource book on the use of force and firearms in law enforcement

Manual de referencia sobre el uso de la fuerza y las armas de fuego por agentes del orden público (SPANISH)

December 2024

Manual on Investigative Interviewing for Criminal Investigation

Manuel sur les entretiens menés dans le cadre d’enquêtes pénales (FRENCH)

November 2024

E-LEARNING

Introduction to Investigative Interviewing
Available in Arabic, English, French, German, Russian and Spanish

Investigative Interviewing
Supplementary module on Human Memory

CONTACT US

The UNODC Access to Justice Team (Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Section/Division for Treaty Affairs), through the Global Programme on People-Centred Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Reform, serves as a knowledge hub on access to justice and provides technical assistance to Member States in meeting their commitment to ensure equal access to justice for all persons in contact with the criminal justice system.

For further information or any enquiries:

✉️ unodc-access2justice@un.org

📬 United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime
Vienna International Centre
Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Section
P.O. Box 500
1400 Vienna
Austria

United Nations

Office on Drugs and Crime

Equal access to justice for all

UNODC successfully concludes Expert Group Meeting on Equal Access to Justice for All in Brazil

Leaving no one behind: how legal aid services are strengthening equal access to justice in Southern Africa

What works best in interviewing suspects, victims and witnesses of crime? Find out more: