Access to justice

Access to justice, which entails the capacity for individuals to seek and obtain a remedy through formal or informal justice systems, is a cornerstone of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16, which focuses on Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions. This goal, particularly target 16.3, advocates for the promotion of the rule of law at both national and international levels, emphasizing the need for equal access to justice for all individuals. This principle is not only foundational in its own right but also intersects significantly with other SDGs, highlighting the interconnected nature of these goals.

SDG 16's emphasis on access to justice is critical in ensuring fairness and legal protection for all, particularly the most vulnerable. It calls for the establishment and strengthening of institutions at all levels to deliver justice effectively, transparently, and without undue delay. This is fundamental in maintaining social order and preventing conflicts, thereby contributing to the achievement of peace and stability as outlined in SDG 16.

Moreover, access to justice is essential in enforcing rights under SDG 5, which focuses on Gender Equality. It plays a crucial role in addressing issues like gender-based violence, discrimination, and unequal power dynamics. By ensuring that women and girls have equal access to legal protection and recourse, societies can move closer to achieving gender parity and empowering all individuals regardless of their gender.

In the context of SDG 10, which aims at reducing inequalities, access to justice is vital for protecting marginalized and disadvantaged communities. These groups often face systemic barriers in accessing legal systems, which can perpetuate poverty and inequality. By ensuring that these communities have the means to seek legal redress, societies can address these structural issues and work towards more equitable outcomes.

Furthermore, access to justice is integral to upholding labor rights as outlined in SDG 8. This includes ensuring fair treatment in the workplace, protecting workers' rights, and providing avenues for redress in cases of labor violations. In a globalized world, this is especially important for migrant workers and those in precarious employment, who often lack the resources or knowledge to navigate legal systems.

Environmental protection, covered under SDGs 13 (Climate Action), 14 (Life Below Water), and 15 (Life on Land), also relies heavily on access to justice. Effective environmental laws and policies are only as strong as their enforcement mechanisms. Communities and individuals must have the ability to hold corporations and governments accountable for environmental harm. This ensures the protection of ecosystems, biodiversity, and the health of our planet, which is essential for sustainable development.

Access to justice is a fundamental component of the SDGs. It ensures that legal systems are equitable, responsive, and accessible to all, thus playing a critical role in achieving various aspects of sustainable development. Whether it's in the context of gender equality, reducing inequalities, labor rights, or environmental protection, access to justice serves as a key driver in realizing these ambitious goals. Therefore, strengthening legal frameworks, enhancing institutional capacities, and ensuring inclusivity in justice systems are imperative for the overall achievement of the SDGs.

This chapter advances Goals 7, 16, and 10 by applying an energy justice framework and some concepts from political ecology to identify the distribution of injustices in the lithium global production network. The authors argue that power asymmetries are significant and that more inclusive decision-making processes are needed for the transition to electro-mobility to be compatible with sustainable development and social justice.
To help create awareness and take steps towards eliminating violence against women, November 25th is designated as International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. Elsevier has curated a freely available Special Collection of book chapters and journal articles related to this important theme to highlight the urgent need to end violence against women and girls.
Looks at the mental health of the Black community in the USA in response to police brutality. Ties to reduced inequalities, peace and justice, good health and wellbeing for all.
Presents an overview of the injustice of loss and damage, discusses the complexities and knowledge gaps, and proposes next steps for an interdisciplinary research agenda.
Elsevier,

Global Environmental Change, Volume 70, September 2021

The purpose of the present paper is to disentangle the mechanisms that connect climate change-induced disasters, inequality and vulnerability by accounting for both directions of causality. We do so by means of a simultaneous equations approach on a panel of 149 countries from 1992 to 2018. The empirical analysis reveals that countries with higher levels of income inequality suffer greater damages when hit by a natural disaster. At the same time, inequality is found to increase the number of people affected by disasters.

Deforestation in Ituna/Itatá Indigenous Land increased 654% between 2018 and 2019. 94% of Ituna/Itatá has been claimed in the Brazilian Rural Environmental Registry. Belo Monte dam and Belo Sun mining project cause land speculation in Ituna/Itatá. Brazilian government policies threaten forest protection and indigenous peoples. Unilateral land tenure regulation would obstruct Indigenous Lands demarcation.
This chapter supports SDGS 3, 5 and 16 by explaining the role of psychological science and research in the training and development of law enforcement, in order to improve responses to cases of intimate partner violence (IPV).
Elsevier,

Encyclopedia of Respiratory Medicine (Second Edition), 2022, Pages 543-550

This chapter supports SDGs 3 and 16 by outlining key research needs, while emphasizing that reducing the burden of pulmonary, critical care and sleep disorders in migrants and refugees.
Read the story behind eyeWitness to Atrocities, an app developed by the International Bar Association (IBA) and LexisNexis Legal & Professional, which helps bring war criminals to justice. It’s the first app that collects, verifies, catalogues and protects images so that they can be used as evidence in a court of law while helping protect the individuals who have been brave enough to take the photos or videos.
This Practice Note covers the main pillars of access to justice in environmental matters in the UK under the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-Making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters (Aarhus Convention). Access to justice and the ability to effectively challenge environmental decisions are key to SDG 16.

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