Justice Reimagined: Fostering an Ecosystem for People-Centered Innovation
Session Time and Date
12 November, 10:30 – 12:00
Conference Room 2
Guiding Principles
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Inclusivity and Representation, particularly to address the needs of justice-seekers from vulnerable and marginalized groups navigating criminal justice systems. Additionally, efforts to strengthen an innovation ecosystem is envisioned to be inclusive of diverse perspectives.
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Collaboration and Partnership among participants, recognizing the importance of partnerships for common goals including government, civil society, private sector, and other stakeholders toward driving people-centered justice innovation.
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Action-Oriented Dialogue focused on identifying concrete steps to strengthen a justice innovation ecosystem. Brainstorming practical recommendations and potential opportunities for collaborative action in the short and medium term.
Concept Summary
Southeast Asia faces numerous justice-related challenges, including inequitable access to services, complex legal systems, and the disproportionate impact of these issues on vulnerable populations. Justice innovation 1 is emerging as a key approach to addressing these challenges by promoting people-centered solutions. However, the ecosystem supporting such innovation is fragmented, limiting the scalability and impact of initiatives. This session will present insights from a recent multi-stakeholder consultation process conducted by Yunus Thailand and the Thailand Institute of Justice (TIJ). The session will focus on discussing opportunities and strategies to strengthen a justice innovation ecosystem for people-centered innovation in Southeast Asia. Participants will be invited to contribute their perspectives toward collaborative action.
Objectives
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Share key findings from a multi-stakeholder consultation on justice innovation in Southeast Asia about the ecosystem
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Discuss challenges and opportunities in building a justice innovation ecosystem
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Gather input on strategic directions to cultivate people-centered justice innovation
Questions
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How can the existing justice innovation ecosystem be strengthened to better support people-centered solutions?
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What role should different stakeholders (government, civil society, academia, and the private sector) play in fostering a more robust justice innovation ecosystem?
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How can we ensure that justice innovations are sustainable, scalable, and adaptable to the diverse contexts within Southeast Asia?
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How can the ecosystem cultivate internal champions to drive justice innovation?
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How can contributions from the private sector and civil society, and other stakeholders be streamlined to support innovation more effectively?
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In what ways can the ecosystem strengthen the knowledge base to drive people-centered justice innovation?
Format/Methodology
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Welcome and Introduction (10 minutes):
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Insights on the Justice Innovation Ecosystem in Southeast Asia (20 minutes): A brief presentation of key findings from a multi-stakeholder consultation on the justice innovation ecosystem in Southeast Asia.
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Panel Discussion (30 minutes): An facilitated and interacted discussion with different stakeholders in the ecosystem including government, academia, civil society, and the private sector on sample innovation, lessons learned, opportunities, and challenges toward strengthening a justice innovation ecosystem.
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Breakout Exercise (20 minutes): A brief exercise among participants to exchange ideas and brainstorm actionable recommendations for ecosystem strengthening on identified challenges.
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Closing and Call to Action (10 minutes)
Expected Outcome
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Enhanced understanding of digital justice tools: Participants will gain a deeper understanding of how emerging technologies can enhance judicial processes, promote efficiency, and improve access to justice.
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Practical insights for courts and judges: Judges and justice sector stakeholders will learn about concrete strategies for navigating the ethical and procedural challenges posed by AI, social media, and other digital technologies.
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Regional knowledge-sharing: The session will foster knowledge-sharing between justice systems in Asia-Pacific and other global examples, encouraging regional adoption of best practices.
Speakers and Moderator
Arsa Ilmi Budiarti
Executive Director of the Indonesia Judicial Research Society (IJRS),
Arsa Ilmi Budiarti is the Executive Director of the Indonesia Judicial Research Society (IJRS), a Jakarta-based NGO focused on research, advocacy, and legal empowerment. She has led innovative research in Indonesia's legal sector, emphasizing a people-centered approach in projects like the Access to Justice Index, Legal Needs Survey, Law Development Index, and Human Rights Index. Arsa actively collaborates with the government to ensure these studies inform policy changes that better align with community needs, advancing legal reform and social justice initiatives across the country.
Boonwara Sumano
Senior Research Fellow, Thailand Development Research Institute (TDRI)
Boonwara serves as a Senior Research Fellow and Head of Social Development Policy Team at TDRI. Her research interests include social investment, ASEAN, labour rights and migration, as well as gender equality. Boonwara earned her Ph.D. from School of Politics and International Relations, Queen Mary, University of London, and MA in International Affairs from the Australian National University.
Callum Mackenzie
Co-founder of Yunus Thailand
Callum co-founded Yunus Thailand in March 2020 and has led the organization in its efforts to build a social business economy in Thailand and Southeast Asia, with a particular focus on environmental and inequality action. He has created a number of successful initiatives such as Waste Hero Education, reaching 750,000 students to date across 6 continents, while currently building social business subsidiaries of Yunus Thailand such as the Seaweed Social Business and Grameen Bank Thailand. Callum has a diverse range of experience from working in the social business and international development sector around the world with organizations such as the World Bank, USAID, ActionAid, the European Institute for Cooperation and Development, and the UK Government. Callum holds a Masters Degree in International Development from Sciences Po Paris and a Bachelors with Honors from the Queen’s University Belfast in Conflict Studies.
Tim Fernandez
Head of Strategic Content Development, Asia
Tim Fernandez is a senior leader in the legal, professional, and technology solutions industry, currently serving as Head of Strategic Content Development for Asia at LexisNexis. He develops and oversees an integrated content strategy aligned with business objectives and leads regional content efforts in AI and new technologies. Tim collaborates with cross-functional teams to achieve cohesive outcomes. Passionate about coaching and mentoring, he is committed to people development and social responsibility. With a background in business strategy, operational management, process improvement, and people development, Tim delivers value to customers and stakeholders, managing complex projects and fostering cross-functional collaboration.
Billy Gorter
Founder and Executive Director
This Life
Billy Gorter is the Executive Director and founder of This Life, a non-governmental organisation that focuses on people-centered justice initiatives. His work has transformed justice systems to better serve vulnerable populations, particularly by establishing Child-Friendly Spaces in prisons for incarcerated mothers and their children. Under his leadership, This Life developed innovative, community-driven approaches to justice reform, including alternative programs to custodial sentences and support for families impacted by incarceration. Billy prioritises local leadership and sustainable solutions, collaborating with government institutions to show how innovative approach can create more inclusive, accessible, and equitable justice systems while ensuring no one is left behind.