- Date
- February 2014
Around the world, billions of people live without the full protection of the law. This statement, addressed to UN member states and endorsed by leading justice and development advocates and practitioners, sets out five measurable goals for access to justice which can strengthen efforts to eradicate extreme poverty:
- Access to Information
- Legal Identity
- Rights to Land and Property
- Legal Participation
- Legal Services
As the UN undertakes the process that will determine the world’s post-2015 development priorities, this document is designed to persuade members of the General Assembly that development targets should involve not just access to education, healthcare, clean water, and other vital services, but also access to justice.
Civil society organizations can voice their support by signing the statement here.
This statement has been endorsed by:
- Fazle Abed, founder and chairperson, BRAC
- Madeleine Albright, former U.S. Secretary of State
- Lloyd Axworthy, former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Canada
- Fernando Cardoso, former President of Brazil
- Jimmy Carter, former President of the United States
- Prince el-Hassan bin Talal, Jordan
- Hernando de Soto, Institute for Liberty and Democracy, Peru
- Mo Ibrahim, founder and chair, Mo Ibrahim Foundation
- Anthony Kennedy, United States Supreme Court
- Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland
- George Soros, founder and chair, Open Society Foundations
- Desmond Tutu, Archbisop Emeritus of Cape Town, South Africa
- Erna Witolaer, former Minister of Human Settlements and Regional Development, Indonesia
- Ernesto Zedillo, former President of Mexico
And legal empowerment practitioners:
- Luciana Bercovich, Asociación Civil por la Igualdad y la Justicia, Argentina
- Maja Daruwala, Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative, India
- Angote Gertrude, Kituo cha Sheria, Centre for Legal Empowerment, Kenya
- Steve Golub, School of Law, University of California, Berkeley, USA
- Nadejda Hriptievschi, Legal Resources Centre, Moldova
- Diala Khamra, Justice Center for Legal Aid, Jordan
- Simeon Koroma, Timap for Justice, Sierra Leone
- Marlon Manuel, Alternative Law Groups, Philippines
- Nomboniso Maqubela, National Alliance for the Dev’t of Community Advice Offices, South Africa
- Vivek Maru, Namati
- David McQuoid Mason, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
- Clifford Msiska, Paralegal Advisory Service Institute, Malawi
- Manolo Morales, ECOLEX, Ecuador
- Faustina Pereira, BRAC, Bangladesh
- Uli Sihombing, Indonesian Legal Resource Center, Indonesia
- Zhang Wanhong, Wuhan University School of Law, China
- Virak Yeng, Community Legal Education Center, Cambodia
- Justice and Empowerment Initiatives, Nigeria
- Pro Bono Net, United States
- National Center for Access to Justice, United States
- California Institute for Rural Studies, United States
- Solidarity Community Care Organization, Namibia
- Legal Resources Foundation, Zambia
- Institute for Environment and Welfare, Albania
- Centre for Policy Advocacy and Leadership Development, Nigeria
- Integrated Development Foundation, Nepal
- Comunita di Visignano d’Istria in Esilio, Italy
- SpringAid International Development, Nigeria
- Institut Panafricain de Droit de la Femme, Democratic Republic of Congo
- Community Legal Services of Philadelphia, United States
- New Haven Urban Design League, United States
- Afghan Women’s Project, United States
- Les Ambassadeurs de l’Environnement, France
- Albinism Foundation of East Africa, Kenya
- Penal Reform International, The Netherlands
- African Centre for Justice Innovation, South Africa
- Auero Anello Associazione, Italy
- Tashabbus, Uzbekistan
- Brandeis University- Sustainable International Development Program, United States
- EPAS Association, Romania
- Centro de la Mujer Panameña, Panama
- ARDD Legal Aid, Jordan
- Universal Rights Network, Australia
- Resource Link Foundation, Ghana
- Oxford Lawyers Without Borders, United Kingdom
- Baghdad Women Association, Iraq
- The Lebanese Council to Resist Violence Against Women, Lebanon
- Penal Reform International- MENA Region, Jordan
- Salud por Derecho, Spain
- Women Empowerment Organization, Iraq
- Association “Vasa prava BiH”, Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Monitoring Committee of Penal Reform and Human Rights, Kazakhstan
- Tamkeen Fields for Aid, Jordan
- Protimos, South Africa
- AID Uganda, Uganda
- LBH Masyarakat, Indonesia
- Kontras, Indonesia
- Alliance for Social Dialogue, Nepal
- CEEAD, A.C., Mexico
- Centre for Accountability and the Rule of Law, Sierra Leone
- Human Rights Center, Somaliland
- Mankind’s Activities for Development Accreditation Movement, Sierra Leone
- Sierra Leone Network on the Right to Food, Sierra Leone
- PAIIS- Universidad de los Andes, Colombia
- IDIP Institute for the Defence of Public Interest, Mexico
- Prison Fellowship Liberia, Liberia
- Nazdeek, India
- Network of Human Rights Journalists- The Gambia, Gambia
- McCandless Tramley, Canada
- Ateneo Human Rights Center, The Philippines
- Centre for Access to Justice, Peace, and Human Rights, Sierra Leone
- Institute for Justice in Africa, United Kingdom
- Omilero International, Nigeria
- Ntsu Community Legal Advice Office, South Africa
- Namibia Paralegal Association, Namibia
- Justice for All Organization, Afghanistan
- Interchurch Advice Office, South Africa
- Legal Action for Persons with Disabilities Uganda, Uganda
- Humanist Watch Salone, Sierra Leone
- Justice and Peace Commission, Sierra Leone
- The African Youth in Technology Organization, South Africa
- Corruption Brakes Crusade, Uganda
- International Human Rights Commission, The Netherlands
- Alianza de Derecho Ambiental y Agua, Guatemala
- Mbororo Social and Cultural Development Association, Cameroon
- SWEAT Development Programme, Tanzania
- Network Movement for Justice and Development, Afghanistan
- Network Movement for Youth and Children’s Welfare, Sierra Leone
- Jul’hoan Transcription Group, Namibia
- Leandra Community Centre, South Africa
- Law and Society Trust, Sri Lanka
- Network of University Legal Aid Institutions, Nigeria
- World Future Council, Germany
- Maliasili Initiatives, United States
- Job Justice Institute, South Africa
- Human Rights First Rwanda Association, Rwanda
- Women Development Response Agency, Kenya
- Letsopa Advice Centre, South Africa
- Vision for Learning and Peace, Sudan
- Bar Hostess Empowerment and Support Programe, Kenya
- Basilwizi Trust, Zimbabwe
- The Center for Egyptian Women’s Legal Assistance, Egypt
- Paralegal Alliance Network, Zambia
- PROTECT SL, Sierra Leone
- Black Sash, South Africa