Introduction

Currently, approximately one-quarter of the global population lives in areas affected by violence and instability, marking the highest number of violent conflicts since World War II. By 2030, an estimated 59% of the extremely poor will live in fragile and conflict-affected situations.

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In these contexts, governments worldwide struggle to meet the justice and security needs of their populations, particularly where state institutions are undermined, weakened, or entirely absent, resulting in inadequate access to justice for individuals seeking remedies for their grievances and exacerbating social and economic inequalities. Moreover, while a multitude of actors—including state, non-state, and hybrid mechanisms—attempts to fill the gaps in justice and security, the failure of the state to provide basic services erodes its legitimacy, weakens social cohesion, and exacerbates rights violations, particularly impacting the most vulnerable populations. These challenges, compounded by serious issues such as the climate emergency, global health crises, and increased migration and displacement, pose significant threats to human development.

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The Asia-Pacific region is particularly affected, hosting ongoing conflicts and protracted crises that have resulted in approximately 7 million refugees and asylum seekers, alongside 5 million internally displaced persons. This includes the world’s largest refugee settlement in Cox’s Bazar District, Bangladesh, where one million Rohingya refugees face huge justice and security gaps and rely entirely on humanitarian assistance. The deteriorating humanitarian situations in Afghanistan and Myanmar further strain the region as civilians continue to flee instability. Additionally, small-scale and localized conflicts in countries such as the Philippines and Papua New Guinea present serious humanitarian challenges. The drivers of fragility and vulnerabilities in the Asia-Pacific are increasingly multidimensional, with widespread economic downturns and rising living costs compounding the impacts of climate-induced disasters.

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In response to these pressing challenges, adopting a people-centred approach to justice emerges as a vital framework for fostering social cohesion and reconciliation while re-establishing a social pact grounded in trust, respect, and accountability between the state and its citizens. This approach underscores the importance of comprehensive conflict prevention strategies in fragile, conflict-affected contexts, where systemic drivers contribute to instability and grievances related to injustice, exclusion, rights violations, and impunity have significantly weakened the social contract. By prioritizing engagement with local communities, understanding the socio-political landscape, and leveraging critical data to inform decision-making, the people-centred approach seeks to integrate emergency response, sustainable development, and peacebuilding initiatives. This ensures that access to justice within the humanitarian-development-peacebuilding nexus is coherent and effective, ultimately fostering resilience and advancing long-term justice and security outcomes.

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Objectives 

• Enhance participants’ understanding of the linkages between justice, conflict, and fragility.

• Discuss the multifaceted justice challenges in fragile and conflict-affected contexts, emphasizing the importance of innovative, adaptive, and non-traditional justice approaches in addressing these complexities.

• Examine effective mechanisms for collaboration between state and non-state actors, particularly in fragile environments where political, social, and institutional constraints challenge the ability of formal justice systems to deliver equitable services.

• Facilitate the exchange of best practices and evidence-based case studies on people-centred and frontline justice interventions that have demonstrably contributed to conflict prevention, enhanced community resilience, and strengthened the social contract in fragile and crisis-affected settings.

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Questions 

• How are justice, conflict, and fragility interlinked, and why is understanding these connections critical to addressing fragility, preventing violence, and rebuilding public trust and the social contract?

• What are the key structural and systemic barriers to effective justice delivery in fragile and conflict-affected contexts, and how can a people-centred justice approach address these challenges, particularly for marginalized and vulnerable populations?

• What lessons can be drawn from successful people-centred justice interventions—both globally and within the Asia-Pacific region—that have significantly contributed to conflict prevention and strengthened community resilience? Can you provide examples of innovative interventions that have demonstrated measurable impact?

• How can data-driven insights inform the development of innovative justice solutions in fragile and politically constrained environments? What types of data are most valuable for understanding community justice needs, and what metrics can be used to evaluate the success of people-centred justice initiatives in fostering social cohesion, stability, and conflict prevention?​​

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Speakers and Moderator