Transforming people-centred justice from a conceptual framework to implementation 

Effective strategies and policies are needed to transform justice systems to deliver people-centred justice at scale, and so respond to the unmet legal needs of billions of people that have been identified globally through justice needs surveys. But without changing financing structures and processes, ministries of justice and judiciaries will not be able to effectively make this transition. 

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Concept Summary  

Effective strategies and policies are needed to transform justice systems to deliver people-centred justice at scale, and so respond to the unmet legal needs of billions of people that have been identified globally through justice needs surveys. But without changing financing structures and processes, ministries of justice and judiciaries will not be able to effectively make this transition. 

At the request of the Justice Action Coalition[ https://www.sdg16.plus/justice-action-coalition/
] multistakeholder group of countries and institutions (including Indonesia, Solomon Islands, IDLO, UNDP and UN Women and WJP), ODI, in partnership with the Hague Institute for Innovation in Law, is preparing a Justice Financing Framework. The aim of Framework is to guide country-level justice financing, setting out financing principles, benchmarks and ambitions to deliver people-centred justice and ensure respect for human rights. The Framework draws inspiration from the approach to financing in other sectors (especially health and education) that have scaled-up front-line services and improved outcomes. 

The Framework’s prime audience is at the country level: the overall justice sector, individual justice organisations and Ministries of Finance. It is also a guide for external justice financiers including bilateral and multilateral donors, multilateral development banks, development finance institutions, philanthropic foundations, and impact investors. In particular, the Framework also proposes an expanded approach to justice financing, incorporating innovative and diversified funding options to help countries build sustainable and resilient justice systems.
This session will be an opportunity for participants to share lessons about financing and delivering people-centred justice at scale and also to engage with, and shape, the early draft of the JAC Justice Financing Framework, which is due to be finalised in late 2025. 

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Objectives 

• Share findings on the financing flow to justice work in and outside of the Asia and Pacific region.

• Share and reflect on innovative and evidenced-based examples of taking people-centered justice to scale, from both within and outside the Asia and Pacific region 

• Engage with and shape the early draft of the Justice Financing Framework to ensure it draws fully on the experience of the Asia and Pacific region and will develop into a useful tool for the region

 

Questions 

• What are the key lessons from individual countries about financing and delivering people-centred justice at scale? Where is the strongest evidence-base?  

• What are key obstacles that donor agencies, government institutions receiving justice aid, and unconventional justice actors providing front-line justice services face to transform the financing people-centered justice at scale in the Asia and Pacific region?

• Does this early draft Framework start to map out a useful way forward to re-imagine how to finance people-centered justice? Are there any key elements missing from this early draft? 

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Format/Methodology 

• Presentation by ODI with reflections by WJP and additional 2-3 presentations on country and institutional experiences of financing people-centered justice at scale, followed by a panel discussion and Q&A session (20 mins).
  Final selection of speakers will be done to ensure gender diversity and regional balance.

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Speakers and Moderator