In most countries, the state is not the main provider of justice—customary and informal systems fulfill that role. How can the international community meet the promise of justice for all by engaging with these systems, despite their flaws? Together with experienced experts in the field of justice, we discuss the challenges that come along with achieving justice for all.
From April 29 to May 3, the international community will be in The Hague for the World Justice Forum, discussing how to fulfill the promise of justice for all set out in the Sustainable Development Goals. Cordaid, ODI, and IDLO seek to bring customary and informal justice to the forefront of that discussion. Since justice via the state is not accessible to all, many people rely on these informal systems. This mainly includes women, conflict-affected communities, and the very poorest in particular.
Featuring 5 leading scholars and practitioners sharing stories from Afghanistan, Kenya, Myanmar, The Philippines, and other countries, the public dialogue will seek to highlight effective ways of engaging with the reality of customary and informal justice that grapple with the unique advantages and significant risks associated with such systems. During this lively and informal dialogue, we will discuss ways to improve outcomes for the most vulnerable people, especially women, irrespective of the pathway to justice they prefer.
About the speakers
- Rea Abada Chiongson is Senior Legal Advisor on Gender at IDLO. She is responsible for the work on gender and the rule of law.
- Lisa Denney is Research Consultant at Cordaid and Senior Associate at ODI. As a researcher, she works on issues of justice, security and governance in post-conflict and transitioning contexts.
- Pilar Domingo is a Senior Research Fellow at the Overseas Development Institute, with expertise in rule of law development, legal pluralism, institutional transformation in post-conflict, and women’s political empowerment.
- Arezo Mirzad is Programme Manager Afghanistan at Cordaid.
- Enid Muthoni is Regional Programme Manager Africa at IDLO. About customary justice, she said: “Customary justice is not a luxury – it’s a necessity.”
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