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.
| 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”. | In preparation for the event and for the reporting to the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (CCPCJ) at its thirty-fourth session, Member States, inter-governmental organisations and non-governmental organisations have been invited to provide substantive 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. These contributions will be integrated into a background paper to guide the discussions at the meeting of experts as well as into the report which will be presented, in line with operative paragraph 16 of resolution 78/227, to the CCPCJ, at its thirty-fourth session. |
Efforts to strengthen Human Rights-based and Gender-sensitive Policing in Saint Lucia
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Introduction to Investigative Interviewing |
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Investigative Interviewing |
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.
